My Alien Academia
by The Incredible Muffin
Summary: Some worthy souls are chosen to carry the mantle of great heroes. Sometimes, this is destiny. Other times, it's all about being in the right universe, at the right time, chosen by the right watch.
1. Successor

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I DO, HOWEVER, LIKE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE TWO COME TOGETHER.**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 1

Successor

_When it came online, it immediately knew that two extremely important parameters had been met. First, it was no longer within scanning range of the Prime User; since its scanners could cover an entire planet, that meant that the Prime User wasn't _on _the planet, or he was dead. Second, it was no longer in its previous location, which meant that it had either been lost, or stolen._

_Satisfied that it wasn't in the hands of someone unworthy, it began to search for an appropriate user. At first, its scans showed such strange readings that it had to perform a self-diagnostic to make sure that it was not malfunctioning. Since it was not, and the unknown variables were not included in its parameters, it excluded them from the search. That was a shame, since there were likely potential users there, but it now meant that it had much less scanning to do._

_It took some time, but eventually, it located a suitable user. The hard part would be convincing him to take up the mantle. But it was confident in its success; after all, who didn't want to be a hero?_

…

Midoriya Izuku was not having a good day. That was true for most of his days, not that he would admit it. If it wasn't bullies, it was the everyday pressure that came with being a teenager—another thing he wouldn't admit to.

No, today was special, but in a bad way. On the one hand, he had met his idol—All Might, Symbol of Peace, Number One Hero in the world, and, in Midoriya's opinion, greatest human being alive. On the other hand, that same idol had taken his dreams, torn them into tiny pieces, ground those pieces under his big boot, and then set them on fire for good measure.

The real problem was that, for all that it hurt, All Might was right to do so. Midoriya wanted so badly to be a Pro Hero, to have his own agency, to save people with a smile, just like All Might. Unlike All Might, he had no Quirk; unlike eighty percent of the world, he had nothing that made him special. He couldn't shoot lasers from his eyes, he couldn't fly, and he wasn't strong. He didn't even have the Quirks of his parents; granted, being able to summon small objects to his hand like his mother, or breathe tiny amounts of fire like his father didn't sound like Hero-worthy Quirks, but at least then he wouldn't be quirkless.

At least then he wouldn't be picked on for being, as Kacchan called him, 'a useless Deku'.

'_You can't be a Hero without a Quirk,' _All Might had said, once Midoriya got over his true form. _'Join the police or something, but if you try to be a Hero, all you'll do is get hurt.'_

What All Might didn't know was that Midoriya was already hurt; nothing could hurt more than being told by the person you looked up to more than anyone that he couldn't have the thing he wanted most in the world.

And then he had left, leaving Midoriya stuck on that rooftop, trying to figure out how to get down for almost an hour. At least he had reminded All Might about the Sludge Villain before he'd left, and had even gotten a thank-you as the Hero flew off into the distance.

"I should just go home," Midoriya said, and kicked a stray can that got in his way. "Maybe Mom's cooking will cheer me up."

Unlikely, but it was possible; even if his mother didn't believe he could be a Hero—no one did—she at least loved him with all her heart.

_The one bright spot in my life, _he thought bitterly. _It's not like this day can get any worse._

As if the universe heard him, Midoriya was suddenly blinded by a flash of green light. He threw up his hands to shield his stinging eyes; tears were already flowing, though frequent bouts of crying were common in the Midoriya family. When the spots faded from his vision, he searched for whatever had done that to him; he saw the light again, but this time it was just a small, green glow that came from inside a cardboard box that was in the entrance to an alley. Curiosity getting the better of him, Midoriya walked over to the box and opened it.

"That… is the ugliest watch I've ever seen," Midoriya said out loud. "Wait, is this thing even a watch?"

If he was being honest, the device he saw looked more like an armored green wristband. If he put it on, it would have gone about halfway up his forearm—not a hard feat, given how small and scrawny he was—and seemed to be made of a thick material. At one end of the device was a large dial with a green hourglass symbol that glowed softly.

"Why did it shine that light?" Midoriya continued to ask; his words dissolved into a storm of mumbles, something he often did when lost in thought. "Did walking by it trigger some kind of motion-detector? Is it a lost Hero Support item? Maybe I should hand it over to the police, it obviously isn't mine, but it's not every day I get to touch a real Hero Support item. Does it belong to a Hero I know? I can't remember any Heroes having anything like this—"

As he muttered to himself, he failed to notice that the device was starting to move on its own. He didn't even realize that it was floating in the air until it slid over his left hand and secured itself around his arm.

As a fourteen-year-old whose biggest fear was bullies, Midoriya did the most sane and rational thing he could do under the circumstances.

"AHHH!"

He ran around in circles, wildly flailing his arm in an attempt to get it off. In his panic, he failed to notice the brick wall until he ran into it. He fell backwards into the dirt with a gasp of pain.

"Why me?" he moaned, and tugged on the gauntlet with his right hand. "Why me?"

"Because you're worthy," said an unfamiliar voice. "Can't say I was expecting you to hit the wall like that, though. Seriously, are you okay?"

Midoriya sat up and turned around. Standing there was a boy who couldn't have been more than a few years his senior. He was taller—not a hard feat—and in better shape—again, not hard. He had rather plain brown hair—at least Midoriya could say that his own messy green hair was more interesting—and green eyes that were like Midoriya's. He wore unassuming jeans and a black t-shirt; what stood out was the green jacket with the number 10 on the left side.

Midoriya approved of the color green; in his fantasies, his Hero Costume's primary color was green. For a moment, his mind wandered; maybe he could incorporate a green jacket into his design when—wait, no, that wasn't happening. Because All Might said he couldn't.

He then realized that he hadn't answered the boy's question. "Um, yes! I'm fine!"

"Glad to hear it," the boy—who looked American, now that Midoriya thought about it—smiled. "I'd rather not have a user with brain trauma."

"User? What?"

"Right, I should introduce myself." To Midoriya's amazement, the boy flickered like an old-fashioned TV screen. "You, Midoriya Izuku, have been chosen to wield the Ultimatrix, a device of incredible power; it will allow you to turn into aliens from another universe! You were chosen because you want nothing more than to help people as a hero. Congratulations!

"Of course, you probably have no idea what's going on, so I was designed by the previous user to assist you. I'm a virtual tutorial program, based on the appearance of the previous user, Ben Tennyson; if you like, you can call me Ben."

Midoriya was starting to get dizzy, though he couldn't tell if it was the rush of information, or because he'd hit his head a few minutes ago.

"Uh… huh?"

The hologram—and as he stepped forward and _through _a loose brick, Midoriya realized that 'Ben' really was a hologram—shook his head.

"Sorry, I was kind of programmed to give you that whole sales pitch as soon as possible. You probably have a million questions, so let's get started." He looked around for a moment. "Actually, I'd suggest you go somewhere a little more private. I can only be seen by the bearer of the Ultimatrix, so if anyone comes along, you're going to look crazy."

Midoriya stared at him, and then at the gauntlet—the Ultimatrix—on his arm. If this was some kind of head-trauma-related hallucination, he could at least play along until he got home and asked his mother to call an ambulance.

…

The Midoriya household was modest, but comfortable. With his father away on business nearly every day of the year, there was plenty of space for just him and his mother.

And the hologram, apparently, who was now floating near the ceiling because, as he put it, 'it was fun'.

"So, those questions?" 'Ben' prompted.

"Oh! Right." Midoriya held up his left arm. "You said this thing, the Ultimatrix, chose me?"

"Technically, _I _chose you," the hologram admitted. "I was added after the Ultimatrix's construction, in case a new user had to be found."

"Why did you choose me? And what happened to the previous user?"

"In reverse order… well, I'm not sure what happened to Ben Tennyson. I've scanned this entire planet, and came to the conclusion that I'm not on the same Earth anymore—and, yes, there's an entire multiverse; don't worry about it right now. Anyway, the Ultimatrix was replaced years ago, but Ben managed to convince Azmuth—the creator of the Omnitrix, a different version of the Ultimatrix—to leave it with him, just in case. A backup, if you will. I came online a few days ago on this Earth, so I can't tell you what happened to Ben. As far as my databanks are aware, he was the greatest superhero on that Earth.

"As for why I chose you…" 'Ben' smiled. "I scanned every human mind on this planet, looking for the correct behavioral patterns. Specifically, those patterns that suggested selflessness, courage, and kindness."

"There has to be someone better than me!" Midoriya protested. "I mean, I'm just a quirkless nobody."

Now 'Ben' frowned. "Okay, that low self-esteem is something we have to work on. But, yes, there probably is someone more worthy than you." Midoriya's head dropped as his suspicions were confirmed. "But I didn't scan those people, because if they exist, they have Quirks. See, on Ben's Earth, people don't have Quirks, and I was programmed to scan normal human minds. Whatever Quirks are, they modify the human brain just enough that they don't fit into my parameters. Congratulations, you're officially the top of the bottom twenty percent!"

"I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult," Midoriya muttered.

"A complimentary insult?" 'Ben' suggested. "Anyway, yeah, I chose you because you were worth choosing to wield the Ultimatrix. Speaking of which, why don't you take it for a spin?"

Midoriya looked up at him, and then the watch. "What do you mean? Here? Now?"

'Ben' rolled his eyes. "Yes, here and now! Come on, turn into an alien, it'll be awesome!"

"Is it… permanent?"

"Of course not! You can change back to normal at any point; just slap the dial and focus on being human. Or you could just wait an hour; you'll automatically change back, and the watch has to recharge for a few minutes. If you change back early, you only need about sixty seconds of recharge." The hologram gestured to the gauntlet. "Just touch the button underneath the dial."

Once again, Midoriya's curiosity got the better of him. He pressed the button, and the dial rose; the hourglass shifted, and a small green hologram of an alien appeared over the dial. It was muscular, and had four arms, as well as four eyes.

"Ooh, that's a classic!" 'Ben' floated next to him. "Ben used that one a lot when he was starting out. Four Arms has strength, durability, and can scrub two dishes at the same time! Just slap down the dial, and off you'll go!"

Midoriya blinked. "Four Arms? That doesn't sound like an alien species."

'Ben' laughed. "Yeah, Ben gave all his aliens 'hero names'. Oh, and when you transform, you should shout out the name; it's awesome."

Midoriya hesitated, but the hologram put his hand on his shoulder; he couldn't feel it, but he appreciated the gesture.

"I promise," he said solemnly, "nothing bad will happen."

Midoriya took a deep breath, and slapped the dial.

There was a flash of green light, and Midoriya could feel his body changing. He was growing taller, bulkier, and two more arms sprouted from his torso. It should have hurt, but he felt nothing. When the light faded, gone was the short, skinny boy with plain features; instead, there was a red-skinned bodybuilder of an alien, wearing black briefs and a gold harness over his chest, with the Ultimatrix's dial at the center.

Midoriya looked down at his hands—all four of them—and his jaw dropped.

"Whoa," he said, and then brought all four hands to his mouth when he heard his deep voice. "Whoa!"

"Hey, you didn't say it," 'Ben' complained. "Come on, shout the name, it's fun!"

For a moment, he hesitated, but then shrugged. _Eh, why not?_

"FOUR ARMS!" For added flair, he flexed his new muscles.

"See? Isn't that cool?"

Midoriya—Four Arms—nodded. "Yeah, it is! Wait, is 'Four Arms' my Hero Name now?"

"Only if you _only _turn into Four Arms. You've got plenty of options to choose from." The hologram snapped his fingers. "Oh! Maybe you can call them your different 'modes', or something!"

Four Arms was about to agree, but then he heard a voice from outside his bedroom door. "Izuku? Sweetie? I'm coming in!"

_Uh-oh, _Four Arms thought.

"Uh-oh," 'Ben' said. "Dude, maybe you should—"

Too late. Midoriya Inko opened the door; she was barely taller than her son, and a little overweight, but—in her son's somewhat biased opinion—she was the All Might of moms.

And as soon as she saw what was in her son's room, she screamed.

"Who are you!? What are you doing in my home!? Where's Izuku?" Her expression became one of mounting horror and fury. "_What did you do with my baby!?_"

"Wait, wait! It's me, Mom!" Four Arms waved his hands in front of him, and then remembered what 'Ben' had told him. "I can prove it!"

He quickly slapped the dial on his chest. There was a flash of green light, and then he was back to his human self.

"Wha—Izuku?" Trembling, Inko staggered forward and hugged her son. "W-what's happening?"

Izuku blinked back tears as he hugged her back. "This might take a while to explain."

…

After telling his mother everything that had happened that day, and convincing 'Ben' to allow her to see him as well, the family and their guest sat in silence.

"So… does this mean that you have a Quirk?" Inko asked.

'Ben'—and Izuku decided that that really was his name now—waved his hand in a so-so motion. "Not really, but this world probably doesn't need to know about the whole alien thing. I'm picturing government visits, abductions to secret labs, disassembly of yours truly, that sort of thing."

Mother and son both went pale at that, and the latter raised his hand. "Then, how do we explain what I can do?"

Ben tapped his chin. "From what information I've gathered since coming here, some Quirks can only be activated through outside stimulus, right? What if you just say that your 'Quirk' was some kind of mixed-up transformation thing that could only be separated and safely used because of the Ultimatrix?"

Izuku was doubtful. "It's almost unheard of for someone to have multiple Quirks; having two is rare, but you said that I have a lot of aliens I can turn into."

"Over a million, though only about ten thousand of them are any good for Hero work." Ben's words were nonchalant, and the hologram ignored how shocked the Midoriyas were. "But you could say that you _couldn't _manifest your Quirk because all the different transformations were so blended together that your brain 'turned it off' as a way to protect you? The Ultimatrix keeps you stable and not, you know, exploding whenever you transform."

"Wouldn't all this be… illegal?" Izuku asked.

"Technically, you're bending the truth a bit. Just say that a foreign scientist heard about your condition, and made the Ultimatrix to help you. And he's American, so he can't be bothered to be contacted." Ben grinned. "I mean, that's all kind of true, if you turn your head and squint a bit. Except for the part about Ben Tennyson being a scientist, because _that's_ a total lie; I think he got a C-plus in all of his science classes."

"I still feel bad about this," Izuku said.

Ben shrugged. "Hey, I'm just offering advice. If you really don't want to be a Pro Hero, I guess you could be a Vigilante."

Inko went pale. "Absolutely not! That would be even worse!" She took a deep breath and looked at Ben. "Why are you so set on helping my son become a Hero?"

Ben smiled. "Because I can read people. When I was searching for a user, I literally could not find someone more worthy to become a Hero. I was programmed to support the bearer of the Ultimatrix to the best of my ability; more than that, after seeing Izuku hesitate to do something that, yes, is illegal, I'm convinced that he's a good person." He turned to Izuku. "Whatever choice you make, buddy, know that I believe in you."

Izuku trembled, and his eyes watered. Ben had no idea how much those words meant to the boy; all his life, people had told him that his dream was impossible, and that he should just give up. Even his own mother had been unable to believe in him. And yet, someone he had met less than an hour earlier was earnestly saying that they not only believed in him, but he was doing whatever he could to help him along.

"Mom…" he said quietly, "I… I _want _to do this. This is my chance to be a Hero! This is what I've wanted since I was little, and now I can!" But then he took a deep breath. "But if you don't want me to do it this way, just say so."

For a long moment, Inko said nothing. Then, she looked Ben straight in the holographic eyes. "I want you to promise me something. I want you to promise that you will do everything in your power to keep Izuku safe; that means that you will teach him everything the Ultimatrix can do, and how to properly use his transformations. If you do that… I'll support this."

Ben stood up and bowed low. "You have my word."

Inko turned to her son. "Izuku, honey… if you promise me that you'll try your best to stay safe, then you have my blessing."

Eyes watery and smile wobbling, Izuku hugged his mother again. "I promise, Mom."

Ben might have been a hologram, but Izuku could have sworn that there was a shine to his eyes. "All right, now that that's settled, how about we work on training you to be a Hero?"

Izuku grinned. "Yeah! Let's do it!"

…

Midoriya had ten months before the entrance exam for UA; in his mind, there was no other school he could go to. UA was the top Hero school in Japan, the school All Might had gone to; if Midoriya wanted to be a great Hero, the _best _Hero, he had to go to UA.

Unfortunately, while other UA-hopefuls had had their entire lives to master their Quirks, he only had ten months to master ten thousand different transformations.

At least, until Ben broke him out of that mindset.

"Look, even the real Ben never mastered all of his powers," he had said on the first day of training. "And you only have ten months to get good enough to get into UA. All you need is to understand how your aliens work; and you won't get access to all of them anyway."

Though he had said Midoriya was worthy, Ben wanted him to learn in increments. Midoriya's selection of aliens was limited to ten at a time, and he couldn't access more until he had practiced to Ben's satisfaction.

Another problem they had was finding a good place to train. They needed a secluded area where someone wouldn't notice a boy turning into dozens of different aliens. After some searching on the internet, Midoriya had found a news report on one such location—Dagobah Beach. It was basically an oceanfront junkyard, one avoided by most people, but it was also close enough to home.

For the first week, Midoriya focused exclusively on the first ten aliens Ben set out for him. One of them was Four Arms; Midoriya couldn't deny that he loved how good it felt to be so strong in that form, but each alien had its own unique appeal to him.

For a boy who loved Quirks, but had spent his entire life without one, suddenly having access to so many different powers was a dream come true. As much as training was important to him, he was actually enjoying each individual alien.

"This is incredible!" he shouted as he zipped through a maze of junk. He had become XLR8, a blue and black velociraptor-like alien with a built-in mask and wheels for feet. He could move at extraordinary speeds—not so fast that he could cross Japan in minutes, like All Might, but still faster than many Heroes Midoriya knew of.

"Glad you're having fun," Ben commented as he floated alongside him. "Just make sure you remember to keep your reflexes sharp while going that fast."

XLR8 glanced at him. "Wait, what f—oof!"

Ben winced as XLR8 crashed into a rusted dishwasher. The old appliance shattered upon impact, while Midoriya transformed back to human and tumbled across the beach.

"That's what I'm talking about," Ben said. "As long as you're paying attention, and you've built up enough speed, XLR8 can avoid almost anything. The real Ben never really mastered his speedy aliens, and just used them from going from one place to another."

Midoriya rubbed his sore chest, but nodded eagerly; he even pulled out his trusty notebook, as he always did whenever Ben started lecturing. "And going that fast would definitely help rescue people from danger!"

"Of course," Ben said, now appearing to sit on an old TV. "You're moving hundreds of miles an hour, but be careful when carrying someone while going that fast."

Midoriya frantically scribbled notes and nodded again. "Right, unless they have some kind of Quirk that lets them withstand those speeds, it could cause serious damage if I suddenly stopped. I'd have to slow down gradually."

Ben raised an eyebrow. "Huh. I honestly wasn't expecting you to figure that out so quickly. Nice job." He hopped off the TV. "Okay, once you stop feeling sore, practice with XLR8 again until the Ultimatrix times out. After that, you've got just Ripjaws to learn, and then you'll get your next set of aliens."

Midoriya's eyes lit up. "Which ones am I getting?"

Ben wagged a finger under Midoriya's nose. "Nope! Not until tomorrow! You still have school to finish. It doesn't matter if you have awesome powers, UA won't accept you unless you've got the grades to match."

With that advice, Midoriya had thrown himself as much into his schoolwork as he did into training. He had already been a good student, one of the best in his class, but with more motivation in his life, his grades got a bit of a bump. This wasn't praised by his teachers—after all, everyone thought he was Quirkless, and thus, not worth investing attention—but one Bakugo Katsuki noticed, and made his displeasure known one day after school.

"Oi, Deku!"

Bakugo was taller than Midoriya, with spiky blonde hair and pale skin that only made his red eyes all the more striking. He had an expression that was somewhere between a petulant scowl and a mocking sneer as he stomped over. Behind him, his two cronies laughed as they imagined the beating Midoriya was about to receive.

"W-what do you want, Kacchan?"

Once, long ago, Bakugo had been Midoriya's best friend. They were both crazy about Heroes, especially All Might, and when they had been very little, both wanted to be just like him. Then Bakugo had developed his Quirk, and Midoriya hadn't; from then on, the former treated the latter as less than worthless—hence, 'Deku'.

Bakugo grabbed the front of Midoriya's school uniform with one hand, while his other started to pop and spark—a sign that he was readying his Quirk, Explosion.

"I saw our grades were posted," Bakugo spat. "What do you think you're doing, getting so close to the best in class, nerd?"

Midoriya opened his mouth to tell his friend-turned-tormenter that he was trying to get into UA, and he needed to be the best. However, when Bakugo's other hand reached for Midoriya's left arm, the one with the Ultrimatrix under the sleeve, Ben appeared—and thankfully, only Midoriya could see or hear him.

"Lie," Ben said calmly, if urgently. "Just trust me."

And so he did. "I'm Quirkless, Kacchan; I c-can't get into a Hero Course like you, and no one cares about the Quirkless kid. I f-figured that if at least m-my grades were g-good, I could get into a good school and have a good life."

Ben nodded. "Not bad. We really need to work on that stutter."

Bakugo scoffed. "Whatever, Deku. Just so long as you remember which of us is going to UA, and which of us is worthless." He jerked his thumb into his chest. "_I'm _the next number-one Hero, got it? You can just sit in the corner and watch me be the greatest."

With his piece said, Bakugo roughed shoved Midoriya back and stalked off with his hangers-on. As soon as they rounded the corner, Midoriya fell to the ground, a trembling wreck. Ben knelt by him and put his hand on Midoriya's shoulder; he couldn't feel it, but the gesture was appreciated.

"How do you put up with that… jerk?" It sounded like Ben wanted to use a stronger word, and Midoriya wondered if he was programmed not to swear or something.

"H-he's not that bad," Midoriya defended weakly. "I mean, he didn't use his Quirk on me, so that's good."

Ben looked unhappy; in fact, he looked downright furious. "You're telling me that the kid who literally has lethal weapons on his hands uses you for target practice?"

"It's not like I've had to go to the hospital or anything…" Midoriya looked anywhere but Ben's eyes, but the hologram would just flicker and reappear directly in his line of sight.

"Midoriya, look at me," he said sternly. "If that's the guy you told me about, that is _not _your friend. He is a bully, and you are defending him. If he tries hurting you, run; if he tries using his Quirk on you, you have full permission to use the Ultimatrix to defend yourself. He has no right to treat you like that."

Midoriya shook his head in a panic. "N-no, I d-don't want to g-get him in t-trouble!"

Ben sighed. "We'll talk about this later. For now, let's get you home, okay?"

"Y-yeah." Midoriya got up on shaky legs. "Let's do that."

…

Months passed, and Midoriya became more and more confident in his training. He would admit that he was far from perfect with most of his aliens' powers, but as Ben had said, all he needed to do was pass the entrance exam. Once he was in the Hero Course, he would have plenty of time to hone what he had learned.

Besides training with his aliens, Midoriya also trained himself; Ben had spoken to Inko about looking into healthy diets and exercise regimens for Izuku, which were quickly implemented. Inko herself, wanting to be more involved in her son's life, joined in on her days off; since she didn't have as much time as Izuku, she wasn't getting into shape as quickly, but when she started losing some pounds and feeling better about both her son and herself, she made sure to keep at it.

By the time Midoriya had graduated middle school, he felt ready to at least try to take the UA entrance exam. He was in good shape—perhaps not the best, but he looked better than the skinny stick of a kid from ten months ago—and his grades were good enough that, even if he failed the Hero Course, he could easily make it into General Studies.

When he'd told his mother that, she had surprised him with a scolding.

"Izuku, you stop that line of thought right now! I know how much being a Hero means to you, and I know that you won't accept giving anything less than your best out there! Don't stop at being 'good enough', you shoot for top of the class!"

Ben, who had been given a seat at the dinner table—even though he couldn't eat—blinked in surprise. "Dang. I mean, I want you to do well, too, buddy, but I just wanted you to pace yourself. My programming only says that I offer advice, but I'm really here to help you do what _you _want. If you really want to go for the gold, then I'll help you get it!"

Izuku nodded. "Yeah! If I want to be the best, I can't just be good enough, I have to be better than anyone else. Like All Might says, I have to go beyond and be Plus Ultra!"

Ben grinned, disappeared, and then reappeared by the door. "Well, we've got a few more days before the entrance exam. Up for some _serious_ training?"

Izuku looked at his mother, who was already putting away the dishes and reaching for her coat. "Yeah!"

**So… this happened. When I said I was done with Ben 10: Unlimited and its sequels, I said that I was done with superhero stories.**

**Then I realized how much I love My Hero Academia, and how much fun a crossover between that and Ben 10 could be. Just when I thought I was done, they pulled me back in! The only thing I really had trouble with was the title, but my friend chidoriprime gave me a good suggestion. Thanks, buddy!**

**Anyway, I wanted to do something different than just 'Midoriya outright replaces Ben', or 'Ben shows up in MHA-verse'. So… here's Midoriya getting adult Ben's hand-me-down Ultimatrix, complete with a nifty tutorial program! I could totally see a mature, adult Ben creating that program so that a new hero using the watch wouldn't make the same mistakes he did at the start, and maybe limit the ego of someone who might get a little too enamored with the Ultimatrix's power.**

**Not that Midoriya has much of an ego at this point. He's determined, but he's got such an inferiority complex, thanks to being born Quirkless, and because Bakugo is an ass. I know he's maturing (especially in the manga, though I'm not completely caught up there), but he inflicted all kinds of abuse on our favorite green cinnamon roll, and there will be consequences.**

**Now, as for holo-Ben (who will soon be just Ben), if he seems OOC, it's because he's just using Ben's face and voice. His job is to make sure that Midoriya can responsibly use the Ultimatrix, and that Midoriya doesn't make the real Ben's mistakes. He's the Jiminy Cricket of the story.**

**And I never liked that Midoriya kept so many important secrets from his own mother in canon, so I had her discover what he could do early on. And here's a supportive Inko!**

**Also, some of you may be wondering how Midoriya will get past the whole 'hey, he suddenly has possibly the most OP Quirk ever' thing. Rest assured, this will be explained in the next chapter. Oh, and Midoriya will not be getting One For All; even assuming that it **_**would **_**affect his aliens, that would make him so stupidly OP that I could just write every chapter as 'Midoriya won, and saved the day'. Yeah, I'd like to make the fights a little more interesting than that.**

**Now, while I have already become very enthusiastic about this story, I can't say how often I'll update. Not just because I have other stories to write, some of which haven't been updated in a very long time, but also because I have real-world responsibilities. One of those is writing my next novel; if you want to support me, and get a full-length book to read, please consider going to Amazon and buying **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. **

**If you **_**really **_**want to be awesome, please also consider supporting me on P-atreon (link in my profile). If enough of you donate, I'll be able to update at least one story every week! How awesome would that be?**

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**Next Chapter: Midoriya is ready for the entrance exam, but someone has taken notice of his 'Quirk' already, and has an intriguing offer…**

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	2. Showing

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. IF I HAD A QUIRK, I'D WANT ONE THAT MADE ME NOT NEED SLEEP. THAT WOULD MAKE WRITING SO MUCH EASIER.**

**You know, it's been a long time since I was in high school, but I don't remember having to fight robots alongside a bunch of mutants. Probably would have been better than regular high school.**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 2

Showing

Midoriya had seen UA on television and the internet before; anyone in Japan who had had dreams of being a Hero was the same. It was the school where many of the most prestigious Heroes in the country came from—and in the case of All Might, in the world.

Now, Midoriya was standing in front of the massive gates for the first time, staring up at the huge archway in awe.

Beside him, Ben whistled. "Wow. That's a big door. Is it for show, or do some people's Quirks make it necessary?"

"I think it's both," Midoriya whispered. Out in the open, in front of other people, he made sure not to speak too loudly to the hologram only he could see. "Well… this is it."

Ben moved in front of him, so that Midoriya could get a good look at the raised eyebrow on his face. "Not if you don't actually go inside. Hurry up, or there won't be any good seats!"

"R-right!" He was about to step over the threshold, but a sharp bump from behind sent him staggering instead.

"Get the hell out of my way, Deku," Bakugo snarled as he stormed past. "Take your damn General Studies exam so I can get on with ignoring you, damn pebble."

Ben crossed his arms while Midoriya composed himself. "I know I'm the one who's supposed to help _you_, but I would really appreciate it if you crushed that guy."

Midoriya almost tried defending his former friend, but after months of Ben pointing out that heroes didn't bully people, all he could do was manage a tired sigh. "First, I have to pass the exam."

"Then stop muttering to no one like a crazy person and get going!"

Midoriya grumbled about overbearing holograms, but took his first, momentous step onto the prestigious campus. He managed another two steps before tripping, and the ground rushed up, late for an appointment with his face.

_Well, this is going to suck, _he thought, and closed his eyes in preparation for pain.

Instead, there was nothing; Midoriya cracked open one eye and realized that he was floating a few inches off the ground! Next to him, her hand on his arm, was an extremely pretty girl; she was a little shorter than he was, with brown hair that curled around her adorably round face in a bob.

"Sorry about that," the girl apologized, then brought her fingers together—fingers tipped with small, circular pads—and then Midoriya landed on his hands and knees after a half-second in the air. "I didn't want to use my Quirk on you without permission, but falling on your face on the first day wouldn't have been fun, right?"

Midoriya just stared at her; he had no experience with speaking to the opposite gender, not including his mother, and this girl was easily prettier than any of the girls from his middle school.

If she noticed his awkward silence, the girl didn't say anything; instead, she waved at him and jogged towards the school.

"Good luck on the exam! Maybe we'll be classmates!"

Once she was gone, Midoriya stood up and grinned proudly. "I… I just talked to a girl!"

Ben, who had watched the entire thing, raised an eyebrow. "No, you didn't. Now hurry up!"

…

The written portion of the exam was certainly hard, but Midoriya had spent as much time honing his mind as he had his body and his skill with his transformations. He was reasonably sure that he'd passed, at least.

Ben hadn't said a word until the test was over, and when he had a chance, Midoriya asked why.

"I'm here to help you," he had said, "not to do everything for you. Besides, I've seen your grades; I wasn't worried."

With that little boost to his confidence, Midoriya dashed to where the other students had gathered—a large auditorium with the lights out, with dozens of seats at tables. As soon as he saw Bakugo, he was thankful that it was dark, and chose a seat far away from his former friend.

"Well, look at this, a live audience!" A voice boomed throughout the auditorium as a man wearing what looked like a rocker's outfit with a speaker-like device around his neck stepped onto the stage. He had blonde hair that towered above the rest of him, and he wore sunglasses over a face that couldn't seem to stop smiling. "Everybody say 'HEY'!"

Nobody complied; as much as they all wanted to be stand-out Heroes, none of them wanted to stand out here. Still, Midoriya nearly bounced in his seat.

"That's Present Mic!" His voice might have come out in a whisper, but he was still excited. "I listen to his radio show! He's so cool!"

Had Ben not stopped showing his hologram at that point, he would have rolled his eyes; this was hardly the first, or even the hundredth, time that Midoriya had gushed about a Hero. The boy was practically an encyclopedia on Heroes, and could go on for hours about their Quirks, their equipment, their more famous moments, even their favorite foods.

Despite the lack of response, Present Mic continued on. "That's cool, little Listeners. I'm here to present the guidelines of your practical exam! Are you ready!? YEAH!" Still, no one responded, but Present Mic kept going. "This is how the test will go, Listeners! After this presentation, you'll head to assigned locations, but it'll be about the same for each group." As Present Mic spoke, each student was given a handout that displayed where they would be going, as well as pictures of four different kinds of robots. "You'll be placed in a mock cityscape battle; for ten minutes, you'll have to face different kinds of robots, which we've named Faux Villains. These guys are worth one, two, or three points each, depending on their model. You all need to destroy as many of these Faux Villains as possible with your Quirks, and get all those sweet points! Oh, and no attacking your fellow examinees! There'll be enough Villains on the field as it is."

"Excuse me! May I ask a question?" A tall, muscular student stood up with his hand raised; it was difficult to see much detail in the darkness, but with the spotlight around Present Mic reflecting off the lenses, Midoriya could tell that he was wearing glasses. "You said that the Faux Villains are worth between one and three points, but there are four robots displayed here. I expected a school as prestigious as UA to avoid such simple errors!" He whirled and pointed at Midoriya, who jumped. "And you! You've been muttering nonstop, and it is distracting! Please cease!"

"S-sorry," Midoriya said, trying to become as small as possible. It didn't help that Bakugo turned to look straight at him with the most murderous expression Midoriya had ever seen.

Fortunately, before Bakugo could launch into a tirade, Present Mic spoke up. "All right, Examinee Listener, that's a good catch, but it's no error! The fourth Faux Villain just isn't worth any points! It's meant to be the unstoppable obstacle, a monster that'll rampage through the test zone. Each area will have one, and when it shows up, just run, because it's going to ruin your day if you try to fight!"

The student with glasses bowed sharply, and then sat down. "Thank you, sir. My apologies for the interruption."

"Okay, Listeners, that's enough from me!" Present Mic raised a fist, his grin never faltering. "Go out there and show us how serious you are about being Heroes! Plus Ultra!"

…

Thankfully for his own safety, Midoriya was not sent to the same location as Bakugo; after changing into a green jogging outfit, he and a portion of the other examinees were taken by bus to an enormous set of double doors.

"Okay, are all the doors huge here?" Ben asked, though it was only his voice coming from the Ultimatrix. "I'm starting to feel like someone was compensating for something."

Midoriya tried not to laugh, and looked for something to distract himself. He found it when he saw a familiar haircut close by; he still hadn't thanked her for before, and walked over. He was about to reach out and tap the shoulder of the girl who had helped him, but someone else grabbed _his _shoulder.

"What do you think you're doing?" It was the boy with the glasses again, who was much taller than Midoriya and giving him an impressive glare. "Are you trying to sabotage another examinee? How shameful!"

"What? No!" Midoriya shook his head. "I was trying to say—"

The tall boy cut him off by simply whirling around and heading for the door. Midoriya's shoulders slumped as he caught many of the other examinees giving him suspicious looks of their own.

"Easy, buddy," Ben said. "Don't think about anyone else right now. This is about _your _future, so get your head in the game."

Midoriya took a deep breath and nodded. The doors opened, revealing a section of cityscape that could have fit in just about anywhere in Japan; he was about to join the back of the group when Present Mic's voice boomed out.

"_AND… BEGIN!"_

The examinees, Midoriya included, just stood there in confusion.

"_WHAT, YOU THOUGHT YOU'D GET TIME TO PREPARE? VILLAINS AND DISASTERS WON'T GIVE YOU A COUNTDOWN, AND NEITHER WILL UA! GET GOING!"_

The crowd of teenagers immediately charged down the street, shouting and preparing their Quirks. Midoriya, however, just slid back his left sleeve, pressed the button on the Ultimatrix, and started cycling through the aliens he had available.

Ben hadn't given him access to all of his options, but Midoriya had quickly earned plenty over ten months of work.

_Hmm… urban terrain, lots of sharp corners in the streets, and robots to fight. _Midoriya nodded as he made his choice. _This should work!_

He slapped the dial, and vanished in a flash of green light. In his place stood a hulking white blob of a creature, with black claws, small eyes and a large mouth. On his back, the top of his head, and the backs of his arms and legs were yellow plates, and on the center of his chest was the Ultimatrix dial.

"CANNONBOLT!" he shouted in a deep voice. "Yeah, shouting out the name really does feel cool."

…

In the observation room, many of the teachers were intrigued by one examinee's sudden transformation.

"Interesting," Cementoss said. "He only activated his Quirk once he used that device on his wrist."

"Perhaps he can't use his Quirk without an outside factor?" Vlad King suggested. "Or maybe it's a limiter of some kind, preventing him from accidentally overusing his Quirk."

Near Vlad King was a small white-furred creature that, had it not been wearing a suit, would have been mistaken for a large mouse, a dog, or a very small bear. Whatever he was laughed with glee.

"I think I know about this one," Principal Nezu said. "Keep an eye on him; I have a feeling that he'll provide the most interesting showing of them all."

…

Instead of trying to run on his stubby legs, Cannonbolt took careful aim before he curled up into a ball, his armor covering every part of his white flesh. He then began to roll in place, building up momentum until he finally let go; he shot forward at incredible speed, and then ricocheted off the corner of a building. As soon as he turned the corner, he felt himself collide with something that crumpled like tinfoil.

_Please don't let it be a person, _he thought as he uncurled. Thankfully, it was the mangled remains of a Faux Villain; it had one wheel for legs, and spindly arms, and what remained of its chest had a 1 on it.

"Right, the one-pointers were fragile," Cannonbolt mused. "Darn it. I still haven't gotten the hang of seeing where I'm going when I roll; I should pick a different form, so that I won't hit a person by accident."

He slapped the dial on his chest; this time, he turned into XLR8 and dashed down the street.

…

"You saw that, right?" Vlad King waved at the monitor. "You all saw that? He changed into a completely different form that has a completely different Quirk!"

The other teachers murmured amongst themselves. Most of the other students were momentarily forgotten as they watched a blue-and-black velociraptor run at incredible speeds, only slowing down when he reached Faux Villains. He would run up their bodies and deliver a series of kicks at their heads at blinding speeds; each kick didn't appear to do that much damage, but when hundreds of them were struck in an instant, the Faux Villains were quickly destroyed.

Of all the faculty, only two weren't talking. Nezu just grinned and occasionally giggled to himself, but the other was far from laughing. He was a man so thin that he looked more like a skeleton, and his blonde hair fell around him in a mess; his yellow pinstripe suit was obviously fitted for a man with much more mass. He looked like he had one foot in the grave, but his blue eyes, sunken dangerously into their sockets, gleamed with inner strength.

_I remember you, _he thought to himself. _Back on the roof, you said you were Quirkless. Now, you have multiple Quirks? That isn't possible, unless… no, it's just not possible._

Still, Yagi Toshinori couldn't shake the connection his mind had made between this Quirkless boy and his greatest enemy. His eyes narrowed as the boy transformed yet again, this time into an orange doglike creature that had no eyes.

_I need answers._

…

Wildmutt roared as he tore apart a three-pointer. By his count, he had thirty-four points; that probably wasn't enough to pass, which meant that he had to step it up.

Thankfully, he detected another Faux Villain, designed like a scorpion, trying to sneak up behind him—a two-pointer this time. He rolled out of the way as it tried to smash him, then lunged at its head; his powerful jaws ripped it off in one savage motion.

_Thirty-six points, _he thought. Was that enough?

"_SEVEN MINUTES!" _Present Mic shouted. _"BETTER HURRY IT UP, KIDDIES!"_

Before he could start hunting another robot, the ground shuddered. At first, Wildmutt thought it was an earthquake, but the way the shaking continued made it seem like something else. Then a nearby building exploded as a massive robot began its rampage.

_That's the zero-pointer!? _Wildmutt backed away, growling out of reflex. _That thing has to be a hundred feet tall!_

All around the test zone, examinees abandoned their positions and ran for their lives. As Present Mic said, there was no point trying to fight the zero-pointer, and no one wanted to die today. Wildmutt was about to join the others when he picked up something moving under some rubble—or, rather, some_one_. It was the girl from before, now trapped up to her waist by heavy chunks of debris. Wildmutt couldn't see details, but the way she was moving suggested that she was too dizzy to save herself from the massive machine that was about to crush her under its treads.

He didn't hesitate; as far as he was concerned, there was someone in trouble, and he had to do something. He ran over to the girl, who looked up at him in confusion and fear; unable to speak, Wildmutt just started digging at the rubble.

"You're not going to get her out before that thing gets here," Ben said as his hologram appeared; his voice was calm, but he looked tense. "Either turn into something that can get her out faster, or something that can fight that."

Wildmutt answered by putting himself between the girl and the zero-pointer; he growled and held his paw over the dial mounted on the armor on his left shoulder.

"All right." Wildmutt couldn't see it, but Ben was grinning. "Go big or go home, buddy."

Wildmutt vanished in a massive flash of green light; in his place was a true titan, easily as tall as the zero-pointer. His skin was white, with red highlights running down his arms, legs, and the tall horn on his head. His only clothing consisted of black cargo shorts. His car-sized eyes were narrowed in determination as he raised boulder-sized fists.

"WAY BIG!" the titan boomed.

…

In the observation room, the teachers were shocked into silence. The only sound came from Nezu, who was outright cackling in his seat.

"I'm going down there." There was a puff of steam, and Toshinori Yagi was replaced by a giant of a man—nowhere near as large as the titan on the screen, but still imposing. Before All Might could head for the door, a small paw grabbed his sleeve.

"Now, now," Nezu said calmly, "let's not do anything hasty. There's still a test to finish."

"Are you kidding, sir?" All Might gestured to where two giants were about to do battle. "The damage they're about to do—"

"We have to trust that all potential students have the spark inside to be Heroes," Nezu interrupted. "If we rush in and help them every time, that spark will never grow." His eyes gleamed with mischief. "Besides, it's not often that someone actually tries fighting the zero-pointer! Try to relax and enjoy the show."

All Might sat back down, but didn't revert to his true form. "Who is this boy, Nezu? When I met him last year, he was—"

"I have a few theories, actually." Nezu's eyes took on a calculating gleam as the giant slammed a fist into the robot's head. "Once the test is over, if he passes, I plan on having a conversation with him."

The way he said that held a hint of menace, but it was reassuring enough for All Might, who finally allowed himself to transform back.

"Fine," he said after a moment. "I'll trust you on this. But you'll let me know if he's connected to…" he leaned in close to whisper in the principal's ear. "_Him_?"

Nezu nodded; he still maintained his smile, but his eyes were steely. "Of course, All Might." He leaned back in his chair. "Now, let's watch the battle, shall we?"

…

Of all the aliens Midoriya could turn into, Way Big was the one he had the least experience with. This was because it was impossible to keep it secret at Dagobah Beach; instead, his mother had driven him out to a campsite on her days off. She had nearly fainted the first time she saw Way Big, and then again when he had accidentally kicked over a tree that almost crushed her car.

This time, when he kicked the robot—which was actually a bit smaller than he was now—he meant to do a lot of damage. The robot's left tread was badly dented, to the point that it moved only sluggishly. When it tried to punch him in the chest, Way Big deflected it with his left forearm, and then countered with a heavy uppercut to its chin. The robot's head snapped up and back, and Way Big could hear cables and internal mechanisms snap and tear.

Unfortunately, his big hit had also left him open, and since the robot didn't feel pain, it immediately fought back. Way Big winced as the robot's other fist smashed into his side—that was going to leave a bruise.

"All right, enough of this!" Way Big brought both of his hands together and swung in a wide, horizontal arc. They connected with the robot's head with a satisfying crunch of twisted metal, and then the head was sent flying into the distance. Without its head, the robot's body had a hard time doing much of anything, and it slumped over, 'dead'.

"Oh, man, I hope that didn't hit anyone," Way Big muttered, though his voice was still loud enough to be heard by anyone within fifty feet.

"Don't forget the girl," Ben reminded him; he was now perched on Way Big's shoulder, and looked thoroughly impressed. "You know, when I said 'go big or go home', I didn't mean go Way Big. You could have just zapped it with one of your electric aliens; you've got, like, three right now."

Way Big couldn't respond without giving Ben away, so he ignored him in favor of turning around and kneeling over the girl. "Hold on, I'll get you out of there."

Surprisingly gentle for such huge hands, Way Big brushed off the debris that trapped the girl, and then lifted her up in the palm of one hand.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

The girl hesitated, then shook her head. "I think I twisted my ankle."

"All right, I'll take you back to the entrance. If you try to do more, you'll just hurt yourself. Is that okay?"

He waited for her to give him a weak smile and nod, and then he marched over to the aid station that was set up at the entrance. It only took about ten steps, but halfway there, he felt something on his finger; he looked down, and noticed that the girl had thrown up on his hand.

"S-sorry!" she called up to him. "I was really nauseas after using my Quirk for so long."

"It's fine," Way Big said, and tried to ignore the fact that the first girl he'd ever spoken to—for real this time—had just puked on him.

Once he reached the aid station, he gently lowered the girl to the ground, where several medical robots equipped with stretchers were waiting. Just as Way Big was about to leave and maybe get a few more points, Ben materialized in front of his face.

"Dude, you burned a lot of energy going Way Big. You should go human again before—" the dial on Way Big's chest began to flash red, and Ben sighed. "—that happens."

There was a bright flash of red, and then Midoriya was human again. Unfortunately, he was also suffering the occasional side-effect of a forced shutdown after going Way Big—he was about fifty feet in the air, and gravity decided that he needed a reunion with the ground.

"AHHH!" Midoriya flailed about as he fell straight down. The Ultimatrix was recharging, so he was helpless… until just before he hit the ground, and a hand with pads on the fingertips slapped him across the face. That stung, but it also kept him from turning into a smear on the floor.

"Looks like we're even?" the girl joked, and then pressed her fingertips together. "Release!"

Midoriya once again landed safely on the ground, just in time for the girl to throw up again, this time on his shoe.

"Ugh…" the girl grabbed a nearby water bottle and washed the vomit out of her mouth. "Sorry again."

Midoriya tried to shake the vomit off his hand and shoe. "It's… fine. I wonder if we have enough time to recover and maybe get a few more points—"

He was interrupted by a loud buzzer, and then Present Mic's voice. _"TIME'S UP, KIDS! YOU'D BETTER HOPE THAT YOU EARNED ENOUGH POINTS!"_

"Or not," Midoriya said glumly, and turned to the girl. "How many did you get?"

"Twenty-eight," she replied. "What about you?"

"Thirty-six. I guess we just have to wait and see if we got in."

"Yeah." The girl held out her hand. "By the way, I'm Uraraka Ochako. Thanks for saving me, Deku-kun!"

Midoriya blinked. "Um, that's not my name."

"It isn't?" Uraraka tilted her head. "But I heard that other boy call you that."

Midoriya shrugged. "It's a nickname he gave me when we were kids. It means 'useless'."

Uraraka looked shocked. "Oh, I'm so sorry! It's just that Deku sounds like 'you can do it!', so I thought it was nice."

Midoriya cracked a wobbly smile; that was the first time anyone had ever put a positive spin on that hated nickname, and he found that he liked it.

"W-well, you can call me Deku if you like." Midoriya finally shook her hand, and noted how she was careful not to touch him with all five of her fingers. "My real name is Midoriya Izuku. Hey, can I—"

"Excuse me?" Both teens turned and saw a little old lady standing behind them. She wore a white doctor's coat and was leaning heavily on a cane. "You two can chat, but only while I fix you up!"

Midoriya's eyes went wide. "Oh my gosh! You're the Youthful Heroine: Recovery Girl!"

"Yes, yes, I know I'm famous, now sit down!"

The stern tone in her voice was enough to make Midoriya sit down next to Uraraka—fear of the little old lady overrode his nervousness about sitting next to a girl.

"You!" Recovery Girl pointed at Uraraka. "Tell me where it hurts."

Uraraka shared a bewildered glanced with Midoriya. "Uh, I think I twisted my ankle, and I'm pretty nauseas."

Recovery Girl nodded. "An easy fix. Hold still." She leaned forward and kissed Uraraka's forehead; in seconds, the girl looked much better, though she seemed to be fighting off drowsiness now. "My Quirk speeds up the healing process, but you'll be tired for a while. And you, boy, what's the damage?"

Midoriya gingerly patted his side. "I think I just have a few bruises."

"Good, that means I don't have to do anything." Recovery Girl smiled. "Tiny injuries like that are best left to heal on their own. Just don't do anything crazy for a day or two. Now, if you'll excuse me, there are other children who need my attention."

After Recovery Girl hobbled away, Midoriya and Uraraka let out breaths they didn't know they'd been holding.

"She's kinda scary," Uraraka said quietly.

"Yeah…"

"Hey, before she showed up, you were about to say something?"

Midoriya perked up a bit. "Oh, right! Uraraka-san, I was going to ask how your Quirk worked, if that's okay."

Uraraka smiled. "Sure! It's called Zero Gravity; anything I touch with all five of my fingers becomes weightless. I can cancel it by putting all of my fingertips together." She blushed and scratched the back of her head. "I have to sleep with gloves on, or else I make my mattress float."

Midoriya had that mental image in his head, laughed, and then put his hand over his mouth. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to laugh at you!"

Uraraka just waved him off. "It's fine, my parents think it's hilarious." She then peered closely at him. "What about you? What kind of Quirk lets you transform like that? Do you have multiple Quirks?"

Midoriya wished that Ben was there to offer him some reassurance, but the Ultimatrix was still recharging, and when that happened, Ben was offline. Still, this was good practice for explaining his 'Quirk'.

"Uh, it's called Unstable Genetics. Basically, my DNA is all twisted up, and I can't access my different forms on my own." He held up the Ultimatrix. "This, uh… I guess you could say it 'sorts' my DNA and lets me access all my forms. I can only use one at a time, and I have to be careful with the time limit. Some forms, like Way Big, use a lot of energy and eat up how long I can stay transformed."

Uraraka nodded, her eyes wide in fascination. "Yeah, it makes sense that a Quirk that powerful would have a weakness. Still, that was so cool!" She suddenly blushed. "So, uh, yeah… thanks for saving me, Deku-kun."

Midoriya then finally realized that he was only a few inches away from her; between his green hair and red face, he did an admirable imitation of a tomato. "Y-yeah, no problem."

The Ultimatrix chose that moment to recharge; the dial went from red to green, and Ben appeared in front of them. He took about two seconds to stare, and then he grinned.

"Okay, that's adorable."

Midoriya couldn't help it; he groaned and put his face in his hands.

…

After saying goodbye to Uraraka, Midoriya went home to await his results. It would be a week before he found out if he'd passed or failed, and the waiting was torture. His mother and Ben tried to keep his mind off it, but the more they tried to distract him, the more he thought about the exam. He replayed every moment in his head, second-guessing every choice and action he took.

Had he made too many mistakes on the written portion? Was thirty-six points enough to pass the practical? Had ten months of training been for nothing?

Finally, after a week of pacing, stress-induced headaches, and restless sleep, Izuku was brought out of his latest worry-spell when Inko ran up to him.

"Izuku, it's here!" She thrust an envelope into his face. "The letter from UA just arrived!"

With shaking hands, Izuku took the envelope from her. "H-hey, Mom, can I read this in my room?"

Inko blinked, and then nodded. "Sure, honey; I'll be right outside if you need me."

"And I'll be with her, to help keep her calm," Ben said, appearing next to her. "You go do what you've gotta do, buddy."

Izuku shakily nodded and walked into his room. Once the door closed, Inko turned to Ben. "Aren't you aware of everything he does, even if your hologram is over here?"

Ben grinned. "Hey, between the two of you, I've got a lot of reassuring to do."

Inko huffed, but couldn't keep a smile off her face. "Regardless of what happens, I want to thank you."

"For what?"

Inko sniffed and fought back tears. "Izuku hasn't been this driven since before he found out he was Quirkless. You brought back a spark of life in him that I thought I'd never see again." Now, the tears started to fall. "If I could hug you, I would; it feels wrong that I can only hug one of my boys."

Ben's eyes went wide; he hadn't expected to be considered part of the Midoriya family. He quickly recovered, though he didn't fool Inko. "Well, it's all part of my programming. If you really want to thank someone, thank the real Ben."

Inko just smiled warmly. "I am thanking him."

…

In his room, Midoriya opened the envelope with the care of an archeologist with a precious find. Instead of a letter, a small disk fell out and landed on his desk. It immediately lit up, projecting the face of a man he thought he'd never see again.

"_I am here as a projection!" _All Might had his trademark grin plastered across his face. _"Midoriya Izuku, it's so good to meet you again, even if this is just a recording. When we last spoke, I said some things that undoubtedly hurt you. However, you made quite a splash with your Quirk at the entrance exam!"_

Midoriya allowed hope to blossom in his chest.

"_Now, I have good news, and bad news." _All Might glanced at something off-screen, and then nodded to himself. _"The good news is that you passed the written exam with flying colors—a ninety-two percent score! The bad news, I'm afraid, was that you didn't earn enough Villain Points during the practical; thirty-six just isn't enough, even with your impressive written exam."_

Midoriya's hope died a sudden and tragic death.

"_But, I have a surprise for you, young Midoriya!" _A hand appeared on the screen, gesturing at All Might. _"Hurry it up? But I'm trying to build suspense! Fine, okay. Anyway, Villain Points weren't the only kind of points you could earn during the practical! What kind of Heroes would we be if only focused on fighting? We have to put just as much effort into saving others as we do fighting Villains! That's why each examinee was given Rescue Points, based on how well they aided their fellows! In fact, your courage in helping young Uraraka was so impressive that you were awarded sixty Rescue Points, putting your total at ninety-six! However, your sudden fall at the end _did _reduce your points a bit."_

Midoriya was trembling, but didn't dare move. Why couldn't All Might decide whether he wanted Midoriya to feel hope or despair!?

"_In the end, you received eighty-six points in total—more than enough to pass the exam!" _All Might stepped back and held out his arms. _"Welcome to your first step; this is your Hero Academia!"_

With that, the projection faded. Midoriya walked in a daze to his door and clumsily opened it; waiting outside was his mother and Ben. Neither dared to speak first.

Finally, a wobbly smile appeared on Izuku's face. "I got in… _I got in_!"

Sobbing, Inko grabbed her son in the biggest hug she could manage; mother and son sank to their knees as they cried their hearts out. Izuku's vision was blurry from tears, but he could see Ben sitting next to them with a huge smile of his own.

"Congratulations," he said. "I knew you could do it, Hero."

…

Two days later, Midoriya received another message from UA. This one had less fanfare, and was just a simple letter; it requested that he come to the school before the year started, because the principal wanted to discuss something important. There were no other details, something that had Ben concerned as they took the train to UA.

"I mean, it's just too vague," he said as they reached their stop. "My emotions are artificial, and even I'm worried."

"Maybe he just wants to talk about my 'Quirk'," Midoriya said quietly as he walked up to the entrance to the school. "I mean, I can't think of anyone who can do what I did."

"Point taken, but getting singled out by the principal before school starts is never a good sign." Ben shrugged. "Anyway, I'm going to shut off my hologram for a while. Have fun with the guy who decides your future!"

Ben flickered and vanished, leaving Midoriya to sweat. What if Ben was right, and something was up?

He didn't worry for long, because he was suddenly distracted by something small that landed on his back when he walked through the gate. Years of being bullied made him freeze in reflex—after all, bullies were less likely to do anything if he didn't react.

"Come now, son," a soft voice said in his ear, "no need to be nervous!"

Midoriya slowly turned his head, and saw a creature that he just couldn't identify; it was certainly cute, even with the jagged scar over one eye, but it was still strange.

"You're probably trying to figure out what I am, aren't you?" The creature laughed. "Am I a mouse? A dog? A bear? Who knows?"

"W-well, I d-don't," Midoriya stammered. "I d-don't even know y-your name."

"Ah, pardon me." The creature jumped and flipped over Midoriya's head and landed in front of him. "I am Nezu, principal of UA High. Please, follow me to my office; we have much to discuss."

Midoriya nervously followed after Nezu; he was so anxious that he barely had time to look around as he walked, though the few things he did notice just reassured him that UA was definitely the school to go to.

"I and many of the staff here were very impressed by your actions during the practical exam," Nezu said as they walked. "I can honestly say that we have never seen a Quirk quite like yours; it was absolutely fascinating!"

"Uh, th-thank you?"

Nezu laughed as he opened the door to his office, where a pot of tea was sitting on his desk. "Can I offer you some green tea?"

"Oh! Y-yes, please!"

Nezu hopped onto his tall chair and passed Midoriya a cup before taking his own. The two each took a sip of tea before Nezu spoke again.

"As I said, your Quirk is fascinating." He leaned forward, and his eyes gleamed. "In fact, after some reflection, I find it hard to believe that it's a Quirk at all."

Midoriya nearly spat out his tea; despite the heat of the drink, he broke out in cold sweat.

"I then took a look at your Quirk registry," Nezu continued, as if he didn't notice Midoriya's reaction. "According to that, you were registered as Quirkless until almost a year ago, until you were checked again by a Doctor Tennyson—someone whose own record is paper-thin, I might add. 'Unstable Genetics' is an interesting Quirk—unable to be used, except with that Support Item on your wrist, and grants you transformations with multiple abilities. One would be hard-pressed to really call that a Quirk, wouldn't you agree?"

"N-Nezu-san, I c-can explain, I—"

"With all due respect, Midoriya-san, I'm not talking to you right now." Nezu took another sip of tea. "I've reviewed the security footage of you before, during, and after the tests; you like to murmur a lot, and your eyes kept glancing to empty spaces nearby. Who are you talking to, I wonder?"

"Huh." Ben appeared next to Midoriya. "I can't say I was expecting someone to be that observant, or to do research on Ben Tennyson. I thought we'd done enough."

When creating Midoriya's new Quirk registry, he had turned into the super-smart Grey Matter to fabricate Ben Tennyson's existence on this Earth. According to everything he knew about the government's records on Quirks—and he knew a lot—he had created enough to pass casual inspection. Nezu, it seemed, had done far more than a casual inspection.

"Cat's out of the bag, buddy," Ben said calmly. "If he wanted to hurt you, he would have done it already, and certainly before you were accepted into the school. I think… I think he just wants answers."

"You're right," Midoriya said, though Nezu was only hearing half of the conversation. "I think not telling him will only cause problems." He took a deep breath. "Okay, show him."

Ben flickered, and then Nezu leaned back in his chair when the hologram was suddenly visible. "Hello, there."

Nezu's ears twitched, and then he smiled widely. "Hello. I believe you have some things to tell me?"

For almost an hour, Midoriya and Ben explained everything—the Ultimatrix, the real Ben Tennyson, the steps they had taken to help Midoriya become a Hero, and everything else. By the time they were done, Midoriya had his head bowed.

"Please, sir," he said quietly, "I know that I lied about having a Quirk, and about where my powers come from, and if you want to punish me for it, that's fine. All I ask is that you don't blame my mom for this."

Nezu was silent for a long time; he barely even blinked. Finally, he nodded. "All right, I think I've heard enough." Midoriya shot Ben a nervous look as the principal stood in his chair. "Everything you did was in the service of helping others as a Hero, not for your own personal gain. Because of that, I won't turn you in to the police, or share anything that you've told me today. However, there's a chance that someone else will put two and two together, and since I see you becoming quite the Hero, I'll take it upon myself to cover your tracks."

Midoriya did a double-take. "What?"

"Don't get me wrong, the way you falsified your background was good enough for government work, but some Pro Heroes might be a little suspicious and dig deeper. For your sake, I'll add in my own contribution; by the time I'm done, everything will seem to be on the up-and-up." Nezu winked. "This wouldn't be the first time I've changed records to fool humans; it's something of a hobby of mine, actually."

Midoriya let out a shaky breath, and then got out of his chair to bow low. "Thank you so much, Nezu-san."

"Ah, but while I _do _believe that you'll be a great Hero in the future, I'm not doing this for free," Nezu said, and put his paws behind his back. "I would like something in return."

Midoriya glanced at Ben, who shrugged. "What is it?"

"How many aliens did you say you can turn into at the moment?"

"Uh, fifty?"

"And you've had only ten months to discover fifty different transformations, whereas other people spend their whole lives mastering just one Quirk. You have a great deal of catching-up to do; as such, I want you to come to school for three hours every Saturday for additional practice, overseen by me. You will spend each day focusing on just one alien; between Ben and myself, I'm sure we can help you achieve mastery with each of your forms."

Ben raised an eyebrow. "And why do you want to do that?"

Nezu grinned. "Because then I can claim that I've spent more time with aliens than anyone else on this planet!" At the looks he was getting, he shrugged. "That, and I'd hate to see such a promising student come through these halls with only passable skills. Consider this an investment in your future as a Hero. Just keep in mind that, with these extra lessons, I expect you to be in the top five of your class at all times, and I would hope that you shoot for the number-one spot."

"I will, Nezu-san—I mean, Nezu-sensei," Midoriya said, his eyes full of resolve. "I want to show everyone who thought I was useless that they were wrong about me, and I think the best way to do that would be the next top Pro Hero!"

"An excellent attitude, Midoriya-san!" Nezu clapped his paws together. "I'm glad that we could reach an agreement. Now, please return home and get ready for class; UA has a reputation for being the best, and that means we expect the best from our students!"

Midoriya shot to his feet and bowed; Ben just nodded, and then vanished. After excusing the boy, Nezu waited until the door closed, and then picked up his phone. He only waited for two rings before All Might picked up.

"_Did you speak to him?"_

"I wouldn't be calling if I hadn't," Nezu said. "You'll be happy to know that your fears are completely unfounded."

"_Then how does he have multiple Quirks?"_

"That isn't my place to say." Nezu's tone was polite, but firm. "Just know that his abilities are completely unconnected to _his_."

"… _I understand. I'll do my best to remember that."_

"See that you do, since you'll be teaching his class."

"_Wait, I thought I was teaching the third-year classes!"_

Nezu chuckled. "Toshinori, you've never taught anyone before, and you want to teach the advanced classes? You'll have to pick a different time to train your new protégé—perhaps on Saturdays?"

"_Why do I get the feeling that you're planning something?"_

"Please, I'm _always _planning something. Just rest assured that I have your best interests at heart."

"_Gran Torino said the same thing, and I still remember the bruises."_

"That's your problem, not mine. See you tomorrow to finish all that paperwork you owe me!" Before All Might could respond, Nezu hung up.

Rather than immediately get to back to the work that was already piling up, Nezu leaned back in his chair and thought about all he had learned. He hadn't lied when he said he wanted Midoriya to reach his full potential, but he couldn't help but be excited; he was positive that that boy, so plain-looking, but with such extraordinary powers and drive, would become the biggest sensation since All Might's debut.

Who wouldn't be excited about that?

**Hooray, another chapter done! I just want to say now that I am blown away by how much positive feedback this story has received. Thank you all! It gave me the drive I needed to write this one; just in time, because I'm hosting another booth at another convention in a couple of days.**

**So, a couple of things I've added to the Ultimatrix for this story. First, while Midoriya can stay alien for up to an hour, certain aliens and their powers draw a lot more energy, thus cutting down how long he can stay transformed. Way Big is one of those aliens. Also, after ten months of learning the basics, Midoriya has earned fifty aliens, but he'll get more. As for why Way Big had pants? Well, a lot of the Ben 10 aliens don't have clothes, and the ones that do have changed outfits between series, so I thought that maybe Midoriya requested that his more humanoid aliens that don't already wear clothes or look like they have clothes be given at least pants.**

**Oh, and while Midoriya does consider Uraraka cute, that doesn't mean they'll end up together. I haven't decided who he'll end up with (and it'll only be one), and even if I had decided, that's still a long way off. I should mention that there will be multiple pairings in this story, though.**

**And All Might isn't going to be an antagonist to Midoriya, but he's carrying a lot of baggage from All For One. I imagine that seeing someone with a wide array of powers, especially coming from someone who admitted to being Quirkless, would raise suspicions. Thankfully, Nezu is on hand to set him straight, and help Midoriya really rise to the challenge.**

**As for who All Might has chosen as his successor? Stay tuned to find out! No, it's not Bakugo.**

**Anyway, I'll try to get another chapter out soon, but I'm really busy. If you want to help ease my burdens, and you happen to be going to Empire Con, come visit me and you can buy an autographed copy of my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**! You can also purchase it on Amazon, if that's more your speed.**

**If you want to be my hero (get it?), you can go beyond (**_**get it?**_**) and donate on P-atreon. You get benefits the more you donate, from getting a thank-you here, to getting a chapter early, to getting a free copy of my book!**

**Speaking of which, here are the lists of my Muffin Patrons:**

**Serious Muffins:**** CrazySith87, jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Krisjanis Jansons, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, Alexis Troy, John Collins, Calleo, Casey Pak, Red Bard, Ultimatrix10**

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**Ultra Muffins:**** Adam Costello, Jeffrey Perigo, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Midoriya meets his class, and gives them all a taste of just what he can do!**

**Muffin Smash!**


	3. Class

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I WISH I COULD TURN INTO ALIENS. BEING HUMAN IS BORING, AND I WANT TO SHOOT FIRE OUT OF MY HANDS, DAMN IT!**

**I'm so tired, but here's more story, because sleep is apparently for the weak.**

…**I should hang out with Eraserhead.**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 3

Class

"Well… this is it," Izuku said.

"It is," Inko agreed, looking up at her son proudly.

"I'm glad we're all on the same page," Ben said, "but if you don't actually _walk through the door_, you're going to miss the train, and then you'll be late for your first day of school."

Izuku drooped. "Way to ruin the moment." When his mother giggled, he gave her a betrayed look. "Mom!"

"Sorry, honey, but it's true." She took a moment to try and fix the mess that was his red tie, but gave up. "Just do your best, okay?"

Izuku gave her a quick hug. "I will, Mom." He looked over at Ben. "Are you ready?"

Ben laughed. "Dude, I was literally _made _ready."

…

Midoriya felt as self-conscious as he usually did when he entered the campus. Sure, it was now the third time he'd been at UA, but it was the first time while wearing the school uniform—a grey coat with green highlights over a white shirt, green pants, and a red tie. At least Midoriya was able to keep his red shoes; for most of his life, he had been obsessed with having red shoes, something Ben had teased him about.

"So, I'm in Class 1-A," Midoriya muttered to himself, navigating through the hallways until he found the Heroics course. "I really hope Kacchan isn't in the class with me."

"From what I've seen, the universe hasn't been that kind to you," Ben, now speaking from the Ultimatrix, reminded him dryly. "Why would it start now?"

"Well, it sent you here, and you chose me, right?"

Ben materialized in front of him, albeit upside-down, and gave him a look. "Oh, so _now _you decide to be a little snarky? It only took ten months!" He glanced over Midoriya's shoulder, and then disappeared again. "Heads up, that Uraraka girl is coming your way. Try not to stutter, okay?"

"Deku-kun! Hi!"

Midoriya turned; there, walking towards him, was indeed Uraraka. She wore a uniform similar to his, but with a green skirt and black stockings. To his chagrin, her tie was immaculate.

"H-hi, Uraraka-san," he said.

"Oh, come on!" Ben shouted in Midoriya's ear. "What did I just say about stuttering?"

"I guess you got into UA after all!" Uraraka beamed at him. "I was worried I wouldn't make it in, but then I found out about Rescue Points, and I got enough to pass!"

"Y-yeah, so did I," Midoriya said. He didn't mention that, with eighty-six points in total, he'd nabbed the top score; he felt that bragging was uncool.

"Hey, what class are you going to?" Uraraka asked as they started to walk again.

"1-A."

Uraraka gasped. "No way! So am I! We get to be in the same class, that's so awesome!"

Midoriya gave her one of his wobbly smiles. He was more grateful to have someone he knew—and was on good terms with—in the same class, other than Ben, than she could ever know.

"I heard we're getting a short day today," Uraraka went on. "They'll probably just do an entrance ceremony and some orientation or something."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Midoriya said. "I mean, even if all the Heroics courses are nearby, this is still a big campus."

Uraraka suddenly grabbed his arm—with only four fingers, so that he wouldn't float away—and pointed up. "Oh! Deku-kun, look! There's our class!"

The sign for the class was so innocuous, but the door itself was huge, and Midoriya was almost overwhelmed. With trembling hands, he slid the door open—and almost closed it immediately when a familiar voice filled his ears.

"What, you think you're hot shit, you worthless extra?"

"I told you the universe wasn't that nice to you," Ben said, though he sounded annoyed at being right.

True enough, Bakugo Katsuki was in the class, his feet propped up on his desk. He looked all the parts of a school thug—he had ditched his tie, his clothes were rumpled, and his expression suggested he was just begging for someone to give him a reason to blow them up.

"How crass! Is that really the attitude a Hero student should be adopting?" And there was the other student Midoriya was hoping he wouldn't run into. It was the tall boy with the glasses, and he was doing his utmost to lecture Bakugo, who couldn't care less. The boy was waving his arm in a rapid, if stiff, motion as he tried to get Bakugo to take him seriously, but as soon as the door opened, he whirled, and his eyes settled on Midoriya. "You!"

Out of reflex, Midoriya flinched, especially when the tall boy marched up to him; he was then surprised when the boy bowed.

"You're the one who made the top score on the entrance exam! I am Iida Tenya, and I must apologize for my behavior towards you; obviously, someone who was able to glean the true point of the test must embody what it means to be a Hero!"

"I think he's talking about the Rescue Points," Ben said, sounding more amused than anything. "Also, if you wanted to keep your top score a secret, that cat is now officially out of the bag."

Sure enough, the entire class was staring at him—some with wonder, others with envy, and Bakugo with disbelieving fury. Even Uraraka gave him a look of astonishment as the class erupted with comments.

"Wait, that's the guy who got the top spot? So manly!"

"He's kinda plain, though, isn't he?"

"Hey, that just means he's got an awesome Quirk!"

"Deku," Bakugo growled as he got out of his seat; the sheer malice that came from that single word was enough to get the rest of the class' attention. "What the hell are you doing here, you fraud?"

For a moment, Midoriya thought that Bakugo somehow knew about the Ultimatrix, but then Ben's voice filled his ears.

"Easy, he thinks you're still Quirkless; I mean, you are, but whatever. Anyway, don't do anything to set him off, and you'll be fine."

_I've already set him off by being here! _Midoriya wanted to shout. Instead, he just backed up, until his heel connected with something soft; his stumble was enough to get even Bakugo's attention, and they all looked down.

Even Ben was stumped by what he was seeing. "Is that a yellow caterpillar?"

Before Midoriya could ask his own question, that squishy yellow caterpillar rolled over to reveal the most tired human face he'd ever seen, sucking on a juice box. The sheer randomness of what they were seeing made almost the entire class freak out; some students screamed about the caterpillar, others babbled, and everyone else just stared.

"So noisy," the caterpillar-man said, and unzipped the sleeping bag he'd been lying in. "This is a class for Heroes, and you're all being so irrational. Caterpillars don't talk, or drink juice boxes, after all."

"I think everyone is just weirded out that he's in a sleeping bag in a class," Ben commented. "Who is this hobo, anyway?"

That was something Midoriya was trying to figure out, minus the hobo comment. The haggard man had long, unkempt hair and looked like he hadn't shaved in at least two days. He wore black, practical clothes, and what looked like an incredibly long grey scarf around his neck and shoulders. Midoriya was positive that he knew who the man was, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"Anyway," the former caterpillar said, "I'm Aizawa Shota, your homeroom teacher. Nice to meet you, I suppose. Now, I want all of you to head to the locker rooms, get changed, and meet me at the grounds; we have work to do."

…

Where the regular school uniforms were somewhat subdued, the gym uniforms were loud and bright. They were blue, with red and white highlights; the white parts spelled out UA across their bodies.

While changing, Midoriya did everything possible to keep Bakugo away from him; mostly, that involved putting Iida between him and Bakugo. For his part, Iida didn't seem to notice, even when Bakugo continued to send glares at Midoriya when the taller boy's back was turned. Eventually, the students made their way out to what looked like a fairly regular PE field; the only difference was that the field at the center of the track had several different machines in place.

Waiting for them with a scowl was Aizawa. "It took you all ten minutes to get here, even with those basic gym uniforms. A Pro Hero can get into the most complicated costume and respond to a crisis in five; not a good start." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the field. "Come on; we'll be testing your Quirks and physical abilities today."

"Um, excuse me, Aizawa-sensei?" Uraraka held up her hand. "What about the entrance ceremony?"

Aizawa looked like he would have scoffed, if not for the effort required. "Here at UA, we have a more freestyle approach to education; that means that I can drag you all away from that kind of thing if I so choose." He glanced back at the equipment. "You all remember the physical fitness tests you did back in middle school, right? They didn't allow the use of Quirks in those, but that's irrational; Quirks are just as much a part of the body as any muscle." He pointed at Bakugo. "You. What was your record for the softball throw in middle school?"

Bakugo raised an eyebrow. "Sixty-seven meters. Why?"

Aizawa pulled what looked like a baseball out of his pocket and tossed it to him. "Go stand in the circle over there. Use your Quirk to send the ball as far as you can; as long as you don't leave the circle, I don't care what you do."

Now, Bakugo grinned. "Awesome." He stomped over to the circle that surrounded a solid mound of dirt, and then sneered at Midoriya. "This is how the real thing does it, Deku." He drew his arm back, and then hurled the ball skyward; just before it left his hand, he unleashed a massive explosion.

"DIE!"

Everyone watched as the ball rocketed out of sight; most of them began murmuring amongst themselves, but Midoriya started to sweat.

_Was he telling the ball to die, or me?_

Aizawa pulled out what looked like a phone from his other pocket and looked at the screen. "Seven hundred and five meters." He looked back at the class. "It's important for us to establish a baseline of what you can do with your Quirks. That way, we know what to improve."

"That'll be hard for you," Ben said, materializing again—and wearing the UA gym uniform, for some reason—and leaning on Midoriya's shoulder. "I mean, you could do well on almost all of these tests with just a couple of aliens, and you've got a lot more in the wings."

The rest of the class was also excited.

"Man, did you see that explosion? That was so awesome!"

"We get to use our Quirks however we want here! This is going to be so much fun!"

The comments continued like that for a while, until Aizawa gave them a terrifying glare; Midoriya wasn't sure what the man's Quirk was, but it had something to do with the way his eyes glowed red and his hair rose up.

"Fun? You think this is all about _fun_?" The man seemed to ooze killing intent, to the point that most of the class was immediately terrified.

A few students were able to meet his gaze—Midoriya and Bakugo had already been exposed to near-death, thanks to their run-in with that Sludge Villain ten months ago. There was also another boy who didn't back down; he had a horrible burn over his left eye, and his hair was divided into two colors—pure white on his right, and red on his left.

"Here at UA, you've got three years to become the best Heroes you can be," Aizawa continued. "You don't have time for fun and games. Right now, _I _am the one who holds your fate in my hands; as far as you're concerned, I'm judge, jury, and executioner. If you really think I'm kidding, listen up: whoever does worst on these tests will be _expelled_, no questions asked."

"What!?" A pink-skinned girl with hair as messy as Midoriya's, albeit with short horns popping out, gaped at him. "That's totally unfair!"

Now Aizawa grinned; it was a little creepy, and promised untold pain. "Unfair, you say? The world is full of unfair things. It's better that you learn that now, while you still have opportunities in life. If you want really want to be Heroes, you have push through your comfort zones. That's what it means to go beyond, to be Plus Ultra." His grin turned even more menacing. "Now, show me what you can do."

…

Unbeknownst to 1-A, several pairs of eyes were watching what was about to unfold.

"Hey, hey, is Aizawa-sensei really going to expel one of them?" A beautiful girl with long blue hair grinned excitedly. "That's kind of mean, don't you think?"

A boy with black hair and an expression of abject misery pressed his forehead against the pillar they were hiding behind. "Better them than me; I know I'd fail if I was in their place."

"Oh, come on, they'll do fine," a tall, muscular boy with blonde hair said, and clapped the other boy on the shoulder. "We have to have some faith in those freshmen, right, All Might?"

The new teacher quickly wiped away the trickle of blood coming down his chin, and then gave the shorter blonde his signature smile.

"Of course, young Mirio!" Somehow, All Might managed to make his voice sound like a boom and a whisper at the same time. "Still, I'm just here to get a feel for my new students. Why are you three here?"

The blonde, Togata Mirio, grinned right back. "Well, I heard that the kid who got the top score at the entrance exam had an awesome Quirk, and I had to check it out!"

The other boy, Amajiki Tamaki, drooped. "Mirio dragged me here."

The girl, Hado Nejire, practically bounced in place. "And I snuck out to join them!"

All Might shook his head; when he had chosen Togata as his successor, he should have known that the other two members of the Big Three would be right behind him. They were practically a package deal; at least Togata had decided to keep the secret of One For All, at least until he could convince All Might that his friends could be trusted.

"Hey, hey, I think that boy you wanted to see is up!" Hado pointed at the green-haired boy as he walked up to the starting line of the fifty-yard dash. "What's he doing with that watch? Ooh, is it some kind of Support Item? Neat!"

All Might put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Just watch and find out."

…

Midoriya wasn't sure what terrified him more at that point—Bakugo's glare, Aizawa's threat, or Iida's earnestness as the two of them got ready for the fifty-yard dash. The taller boy had bowed, and _then _shook his hand before getting ready.

As he activated the Ultimatrix and began cycling through his aliens, Midoriya noticed that Iida was rolling up his pants to expose his calves. Aside from being incredibly thick, Iida's legs also had what looked like exhaust pipes poking out from his skin.

"If I had money, I'd bet he has super-speed," Ben said, almost eagerly as he disappeared again. "Give him a run for _his_ money!"

Everyone closed their eyes when Midoriya vanished in a flash of green light. "XLR8!"

More than one student went slack-jawed at Midoriya's transformation, though Aizawa only raised an eyebrow. He had seen this one during the entrance exam—or, rather, a recording of the entrance exam, which Present Mic had shoved into his face and wouldn't leave him alone until he watched it.

Aizawa had barely started his stopwatch when XLR8 disappeared in a blur, only to reappear at the finish line. Aizawa was almost impressed, but waited until Iida finished—with a flashy burst of speed from the engines in his legs—before giving the results.

"Iida—four-point-three seconds. Midoriya—point-oh-eight seconds."

Everyone was completely flabbergasted; even Bakugo was reduced to confused anger.

Almost every other test was completed using Four Arms—and Midoriya was glad that he had asked Ben to change his outfit in that form, because the first one was so embarrassing. Instead of briefs and a harness, Four Arms now had dark blue jeans, a white shirt, a black open vest over that, and black fingerless gloves on all four of his hands; he even had a black do-rag to complete the ensemble.

Push-ups, side-stepping, long jumps—all of it was easy with Four Arms' physique. During the grip strength test, the only student who had come close to Four Arms' strength had been one Shoji Mezo, a massive grey-haired boy who wore a mask over most of his face, and had six webbed arms, who finished with an incredible five hundred and forty kilograms; still, Four Arms had more than doubled that. Even the seated toe-touch was a breeze, since his arms were long enough to reach his feet. The only other time he used a different alien was during the endurance run; he had gone back to XLR8 and ran laps around the other students until Aizawa told him to stop.

"It's obvious that you can go on for a while," Aizawa had said. "Stop wasting my time and head to the softball throw."

Midoriya turned back to human again—ostensibly to stretch for a moment, but really it was to let the Ultimatrix recharge—before heading for the circle. As he did so, the other students collapsed on the grass to watch.

"I wonder what he'll turn into this time," said Jiro Kyoka, a petite girl with short hair who had what looked like headphone jacks coming from her earlobes. "That one he called Four Arms was pretty strong."

"I hope he's got more than just those two Quirks." Kirishima Eijiro, a muscular boy with spiky red hair and triangular teeth, grinned excitedly.

"He does!" Uraraka smiled right back; Kirishima had an infectious enthusiasm that made him hard to dislike. "When I saw him at the entrance exam, he turned into this orange dog-thing, and then a giant that he used to destroy the zero-pointer!"

Kirishima did a double-take between her and Midoriya. "Seriously!?"

The entire time, Bakugo was seething; how did that worthless, pathetic _Deku_, who couldn't even get his parents' worthless quirks, become… _strong_? It had to do with that watch, obviously; Bakugo was observant, and he'd seen Deku twist that dial on the watch and then slam it down before transforming. What he couldn't figure out was how that factored in to his Quirk.

_I'm getting some goddamn answers when this is over, _he swore.

Then Midoriya vanished in a flash of green again; when it faded, the class was reminded that the plain-looking boy was full of surprises.

"ARMODRILLO!"

This new form looked like a ten-foot-tall yellow robot; the parts that weren't bright yellow were black, except for the silver claws, tail, and what looked like springs running through his arms. Those arms were huge, and went all the way to the ground, giving him a hunched appearance. Like all of his forms, this one had a green hourglass dial on his chest.

"Okay, I give up!" Kaminari Denki, a boy with blonde hair with a black lightning bolt running through it, threw up his hands. "Does he just have, like, unlimited Quirks or something?"

Rather than answer, Armodrillo stomped over to the circle and picked up the ball with one hand. He then lifted that arm up at a high angle; the piston coming out from his elbow pulled back, and then rapidly pushed forward. There was a loud bang, and then the ball rocketed out of his hand, followed by a tremor that staggered those of the class that hadn't been sitting.

Once the shaking stopped, Aizawa glanced down at the sensor and raised an eyebrow. "Not bad."

Armodrillo walked over to him. "How did I do?"

Aizawa turned the screen to face Midoriya as he turned back to normal; on it flashed the number eight hundred and eleven. More than one of Midoriya's classmates made impressed noises.

"DEKU!"

Midoriya flinched as Bakugo stormed up to him, one hand crackling and sparking, while the other grabbed Midoriya by the collar. At that point, Bakugo had had enough; not only had the 'worthless Deku' shown up the entire class in every other test, he'd gone and beaten _his _record. In Bakugo's mind, that was an unacceptable transgression that needed immediate correcting—and that started by getting answers.

"You're gonna tell me how you have a Quirk, and you're gonna tell me right goddamn now!"

…

"Hey, hey, that's not cool!" Hado frowned. "We should stop him!"

Togata looked like he was about to do just that, though Amajiki looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. Before anyone could do anything, All Might stepped in front of them.

"Just relax," he assured them. "Aizawa has this covered."

…

Just as Bakugo was about to bring his sparking hand down, the glow in his palm abruptly vanished. Both he and Midoriya stared blankly at his hand.

"What the hell?" Bakugo reacted as he normally did when he didn't understand something—he got angry. "What happened to my Quirk!?"

"I erased it." Bands of cloth suddenly looped around Bakugo's head and shoulders and dragged him back. Behind him, looking bored, Aizawa's eyes glowed and his hair stood up. "This isn't how I want to spend my morning. I already have dry eye, I don't need this."

Finally, Midoriya realized why Aizawa was so familiar to him. "I know you! You're Eraserhead!" Aizawa looked surprised, but everyone else in the class was just confused. "You're an underground Hero that doesn't usually interact with the press, so most people don't know about you. Your Quirk is Erasure, and it lets you stop anyone you look at from using their Quirks, unless they're Mutant-types."

For a moment, Aizawa looked downright shocked, even as he secured Bakugo. "There's a reason I'm an underground Hero. How do you know so much about me?"

Midoriya suddenly found the ground very interesting. "Uh… Heroes and Quirks are a hobby of mine, Eraserhead-sensei."

"Just call me Aizawa-sensei," the Hero said. "Hero names are for fieldwork. Now then, Bakugo," he freed the student from his capture tool and gave him a stern look, even as his Quirk faded. "Consider this your only warning—if you attack another student, I won't hesitate to expel you. Is that understood?"

Bakugo was stuck staring at Aizawa in shock; in all his years at schools before now, teachers had just let him do whatever he wanted, especially when it came to Deku. After all, his grades were perfect, and he was destined to be a Pro Hero, so no one wanted to stop him. Apparently, the teachers at UA had more of a backbone; he found himself grudgingly respecting the sleepy man.

"Understood, Aizawa-sensei." Without another glance at Midoriya, Bakugo stomped off and sat as far away from the class as he could while still considered to be participating.

"Anyway, now that those two are done, everyone else can finish the ball throw." Aizawa sighed tiredly. "Everyone hurry up so that I can get some sleep."

With the excitement over, the rest of the test was mostly uneventful. Some of the students threw the ball further than others, but it was only when it was Uraraka's turn that it got interesting. Rather than throw it, she gave Midoriya a nervous smile, pressed her fingers against the ball, and gently tossed it up.

It never came back down.

Aizawa tried to get a read on how far it went, but his sensor just flickered and spouted a series of numbers and letters. He frowned and slapped the machine a few times; the screen fizzled, and then settled on an infinity symbol.

"Holy expletive," Ben said as he sat next to Midoriya, who gave him a quick glance when nobody was looking. "What? Ben programmed me not to swear!"

For his part, Midoriya was just glad that someone else was getting all the attention, though he did feel bad for Uraraka, because she looked incredibly embarrassed.

"All right, enough of that," Aizawa said as he applied eye drops to his eyes. "Your total scores simply reflect your performance. Oh, and I was lying about expelling anyone." He grinned almost maniacally. "It was a logical ruse to get you all to perform at your best."

Almost the entire class stared at him, dumbfounded.

"WHAT!?"

…

Togata struggled not to laugh. "Oh, that's hilarious!"

Amajiki slumped over even further. "No, that's cruel."

Hado giggled and turned to All Might. "Did you know he was going to do that?"

All Might kept up his famous smile, but inside, he was as floored as the 1-A students. "No, I can't say I did."

…

"Oh, please, it was obvious." The girl who had spoken—Yaoyorozu Momo, a beautiful, tall girl with her long hair pulled back in a spiky ponytail—looked disappointed with her class. "They wouldn't expel one of us that easily."

Aizawa raised an eyebrow, as if he was tempted to expel someone just to prove her wrong, but then pressed a button on his device, and a holographic screen came up. "Anyway, here are your scores."

Once again, Midoriya received plenty of glances when the scores came up; after all, he'd come in first place. Bakugo had come in second, followed by Yaoyorozu, and the boy with the two-toned hair, Todoroki Shoto. Iida was just behind him at fifth place, and all the way at tenth was Uraraka; when Midoriya looked at her, she seemed happy enough, probably because she wasn't in last. That dubious honor fell to one Mineta Minoru, a very small boy that had purple spheres instead of hair; he had also been the target of dirty looks from everyone else in the class for the way he'd been drooling—literally—over the girls in 1-A. At least his brush with expulsion had made him stop for a while.

"And that's all I had planned for today," Aizawa said. "Get changed and head back to class. You'll find more information about the curriculum on your desks. Take it and head home. See you tomorrow, I guess."

Even Yaoyorozu had nothing to complain about; few teenagers ever passed up on a half-day. Unfortunately for Midoriya, as they were heading back to the lockers, he became the class' focus.

"So, Midori, what's up with your Quirk?" The pink girl grinned at him. "The name's Ashido Mina, by the way."

"Yeah, I was gonna ask that!" An arm was slung around Midoriya's shoulders; the arm and its opposite had large, canister-shaped elbows, but other than that, the owner of the limb was fairly normal. He had black hair and an easygoing smile. "Oh, and I'm Sero Hanta."

Midoriya took a deep breath; he just had to remind himself that this was practice for explaining the Ultimatrix. "W-well, you see, I actually thought I was Quirkless until a little under a year ago. I can't actually use my Quirk, Unstable Genetics, without this." He held up the watch, but then quickly put his arm back down. "If I didn't use that to separate the different DNA, I'd never be able to transform… and if I could, I'd probably explode from all those different transformations happening at once."

Yaoyorozu frowned. "If you thought you were Quirkless, how did you get that device?"

Midoriya was grateful that she had brought that up, actually; Nezu had contacted him with some additions that he'd added to Midoriya's cover story to make it more believable. The hard part was addressing Yaoyorozu—he already had a problem talking to girls, and she was by far the prettiest he'd ever seen.

"Th-the thing is, I have a c-cousin in America—w-we're not related by b-blood, he married into the family. He's a s-scientist, and he d-developed new ways of testing for Quirks; when he figured out what my Quirk was, he designed my watch to help me become a Hero. He's a huge fan of Heroes and Quirks, just like me."

"That was really cool of him," Sero said. "What's his name?"

"Ben Tennyson," Midoriya answered. "He kind of forced me to always call him by his first name. He's kind of a recluse, though; I haven't even spoken to him in person."

That part was technically true; he had never met the real Ben Tennyson, and had only interacted with a hologram of him.

With his attention diverted by the rest of class as they asked him questions, Midoriya never noticed Bakugo stalking behind the group, hands shoved into his pockets. He listened to everything Midoriya said and filed it away; something about what he was saying felt off, but he couldn't put his finger on why.

He'd figure it out, though; there was no way that Deku could become strong by himself. The alternative was that the nerd was _better _than him, and that just wasn't possible.

…

"Aizawa, you liar!" All Might crossed his arms, but maintained his smile as he walked up to the other teacher.

"All Might." Aizawa raised an eyebrow at the Big Three until they ran off, and then turned his attention back to the taller man. "What did I lie about?"

"You know exactly what!" All Might pointed at him. "That 'logical deception', as you called it, was a load of hooey! Last year, you expelled an entire class of first-years!"

Aizawa shrugged. "That class was a lost cause; this one has potential. Anyway, why are you spying on what I'm doing? Shouldn't you be getting ready for _your _class tomorrow?"

"Don't worry, everything's been planned out!" All Might let out his signature booming laugh. "I just wanted to get a feel for the students before I actually met them."

"That's… actually a rational decision, and I hate you for it."

"Now that you mention it, I did have a question for you," All Might said, and his tone became thoughtful. "What did you think of young Midoriya?"

"Hmm?" Aizawa shrugged again. "His Quirk has more potential than any I've ever heard of, but if he doesn't have the mindset of a Hero, I don't care if he's more powerful than _you_; if he can't hack it, I'll kick him out so fast his head will spin."

All Might felt a drop of sweat roll down his neck. _Well, young Midoriya, it seems that all of your teachers have high expectations of you! That just means that I can't afford to cut you any slack tomorrow; show me that there's more to you than a flashy Quirk!_

…

"There you go, Deku-kun!" Uraraka smiled as she handed Midoriya back his phone. "Thanks for giving me your number. You too, Iida-san."

"Of course!" Midoriya leaned back to avoid Iida's rigid flailing of his arm. "Pro Heroes usually maintain contact with each other, especially if they operate in the same location!"

Midoriya nodded enthusiastically; while he wasn't as by-the-book as his taller classmate, he and Iida had discovered that they were equally enthusiastic about Hero protocols and patterns. That had led to them discussing team-ups, and during the energetic conversation, Midoriya had pulled Uraraka in, using her as an example of how she, Midoriya and Iida could complement each other.

That had then led to Uraraka suggesting that they exchange phone numbers. Midoriya had become flustered, but eventually managed to clumsily fish his phone out of his pocket. Iida had paused, pushed his glasses further up on his nose, and then took out his own phone.

"All right!" Uraraka pumped her fist. "Friends should always exchange numbers!"

Midoriya's eyes stung, and he tried to stop the tears before they started. "Y-you really w-want to be f-friends with me, Uraraka-san?"

Uraraka grinned. "Sure! You're sweet and you're cool, even if you're a little awkward, so why not?"

Midoriya managed a wobbly smile back, while Iida bowed.

"I am honored that you would consider me a friend as well, Uraraka-san," he said formally. "We have known each other for less than a day, but I am sure that we will all get along swimmingly!"

Uraraka giggled, but then she looked at the time. "Oh, man! I need to get going, or I'll miss my train! Bye, Iida-san, bye, Deku-kun! See you tomorrow!"

The two boys waved goodbye, and then Iida nodded at Midoriya. "I am afraid that I must say goodbye as well, Midoriya-san; my own train is at a different station."

"Sure thing! See you tomorrow!" Once Iida was gone, and Midoriya was sure he was alone, he turned to Ben, whose hologram had shifted back to normal. "I have friends! I have _friends _on my first day of school, at _UA_!"

Ben smiled. "Yeah, and one of 'em is really cute! Good for you."

Midoriya was too excited to be flustered at that moment. "She said I was sweet! She said I was _cool_!"

"She also said you were awkward," Ben pointed out. "You might want to work on that."

His ego checked, Midoriya sagged. "Yeah… I know."

"Come on, buddy, let's go home." Ben vanished once again. "Besides, the sooner you go to sleep, the sooner you can come back, and one of your classes is being taught by All Might! Get a little excited!"

Midoriya smiled. "Yeah, you're right! Tomorrow is going to be a good day!"

**I hate long stretches of introductions and descriptions of characters, so I didn't get to the entire class. Next time, though, I'll have no choice; if you're a fan of MHA, you know what's coming, and that means everyone and their mother gets a description. Yeah, the Battle Trials are next! I'm honestly not sure if I want to give **_**every **_**match its own scene, but if I do, I'll probably break up the chapter into two parts. Also, while I do plan on Midoriya fighting Bakugo, I'm not sure who their partners will be. I'm gonna randomize it.**

**Also, yeah, I'm not surprised a lot of you guessed that Mirio would be All Might's successor. I love that Tintin-looking badass!**

**Something I do want to address, though: yes, Midoriya did earn first place at both the exam and here. Do you honestly expect him to do less for what are essentially the easiest parts of the story? His real challenge comes next; after all, he has no real experience fighting a person, and as Nezu said, he's had ten months to learn dozens of different powers, while his classmates have had most of their lives to master one. He hasn't quite learned which alien is the right one for the task at hand; he will, though.**

**Anyway, I know I said I'd take a while to get this chapter out, but I had some free time when I was at Empire Con. Sadly, that convention didn't do so well for me. If you want to help me fix that, you can buy my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, on Amazon, or be an awesome Muffin/Human hybrid and donate on P-atreon.**

**And now, here's a list of my wonderful patrons:**

**Serious Muffins:**** CrazySith87, jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Krisjanis Jansons, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, Alexis Troy, John Collins, Calleo, Casey Pak, Red Bard, Ultimatrix10**

**Incredible Muffins: ****RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844, Jaeger456, killroy225, Brian McGloughlin**

**Ultra Muffins: ****Adam Costello, Jeffrey Perigo, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Hero Costumes! Battle Trials! It's all here, along with a reunion between Midoriya and All Might!**

**Howitzer… Muffin!**


	4. Clash

**BEN 10 DOES BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I'VE TRIED TO FLY MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT MY HOSPITAL BILLS HAVE LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT I DO NOT, IN FACT, HAVE A FLYING QUIRK.**

**Time for fighting! Put on your fighting hats! If you don't have a fighting hat… well, what's wrong with you? Everyone needs a fighting hat. Mine looks like a particularly angry baked good, and if you turn it inside-out, it looks like a duck.**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 4

Clash

Midoriya was in the unusual position of actually looking forward to high school. This was not just because he actually had friends that he was excited to see again, but also because one of his classes was being taught by his favorite Hero.

Well, all of his classes were being taught by Heroes, and Midoriya was a fan of all of them, but this one was a special case.

He wasn't the only one excited about today; he met up with Uraraka and Iida near UA, and the three were chatting enthusiastically. It was amazing, Midoriya reflected, to interact with people who didn't put him down all the time.

He tried to ignore that traitorous part of his mind that suggested that they were only his friends because they thought his Quirk was cool… or that he had a Quirk at all.

Midoriya pushed that thought back for a while, and even managed to enjoy his classes. Then lunch rolled around, and he enjoyed that as well—not just because the famous Cooking Hero: Lunch Rush, was serving the food, but because he got to eat alongside friendly classmates.

It wasn't just Uraraka and Iida who sat next to him at the table; the pink girl, Ashido, and Sero also joined them. Midoriya found them to be an interesting contrast to his first two friends—Ashido was spontaneous and casual, where Iida was deliberate and formal, and Sero seemed permanently relaxed, where Uraraka was easily flustered. Still, they all got along rather well, and by the time lunch was over, the two were added to Midoriya's growing list of contacts.

But all of that faded into the background as Class 1-A went to their final lesson of the day—Heroics. Officially, nearly any Pro Hero who was employed by UA could teach the class, since one of them might be called in for a crisis elsewhere, and the schedules had to be flexible. Midoriya would have been excited to have any Pro Hero teach him how to achieve his dream, but the fact that the greatest Hero in Japan—and arguably the world—was supposed to teach today was just that much more incredible.

"When is he going to show up?" Uraraka whispered to him as they took their adjacent seats.

Midoriya glanced at the clock. "It should be any minute now."

As the seconds dragged on, a worrying train of thought burrowed its way into his head.

_What if he doesn't remember me from the roof? What if he _does _remember me, and thinks I lied about having not having a Quirk? I mean, I guess I _did _lie, retroactively, but it's not like I knew that at the time, and—_

"I AM HERE!" The doors to the classroom slammed open. "COMING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!"

Ben, who was now floating next to Midoriya, rolled his eyes. "Normal people don't slam doors open and shout at the top of their lungs."

All Might, wearing his older Silver Age costume, for some reason—complete with flowing cape, despite there not being any wind—marched dramatically to the front of the class and turned to face the students, fists on his hips.

"Remember, students—a flashy entrance is a great way to display confidence and reassure people that everything is going to be okay!" He continued to grin, even as he pulled what looked like flash cards out from nowhere. "Now, then—Basic Hero Training! This is the class that gives you a taste of what being a Hero in the field is like! And the first of these lessons… is this!" He flipped one flash card around, which had the word 'Battle' on it. "Battle Training!"

More than a few students got particularly excited for that. For his part, Midoriya was a little conflicted; it wasn't that he didn't expect to fight at some point in his Hero career, but he was more enthusiastic about saving people than hurting them, even if they were the bad guys.

"But before we can get started on your lesson, you'll need these!" All Might pressed a button on a remote, and then the walls slid open, revealing twenty silver suitcases, all numbered one through twenty. "In accordance with the Quirk Registry and Equipment Request forms that you filled out before school started, here are your Hero Costumes!"

Even the students less enthusiastic about fighting began to get excited; after all, they'd all had at least some input in how their costumes were made, so these outfits were _theirs_.

"All right!" All Might clapped his hands together; despite the casual gesture, there was still a small shockwave that sent everyone rocking back in their seats. "Grab your costumes, and head to Ground Beta when you're all suited up!"

There was a mad dash as everyone headed to the suitcases; though each had a large number, there was also a small tag with names attached. Much to Bakugo's anger, Midoriya's case had the number one on it.

"Okay, buddy, hurry up," Ben urged as Midoriya walked to the locker room to change. "I want to see what you came up with!"

Though Ben had been 'present' when Midoriya had come up with his costume design, he'd asked the hologram to shut down until he was done. He'd wanted it to be a surprise for his first real friend.

Unfortunately, since all of his aliens came with their own outfits—if they came with any at all—that meant that whatever Midoriya actually wore would disappear. With that in mind, he wanted to come up with something comfortable, but also distinctly him. The best part was that he didn't take that long to change.

"Okay, I'm ready," Midoriya said, mostly to himself, but also to Ben.

When Ben flickered into sight again, he blinked, and then grinned. "Looking good, kid."

Where Ben Tennyson had worn jeans and a green jacket, Midoriya had taken his own spin on it. He wore dark blue combat pants, with pockets that held useful items like first aid tools—just in case he needed to do help someone without transforming. He also wore a black t-shirt, under a dark green hoodie—the hood of which paid homage to his idol by incorporating large 'ears' that mimicked All Might's signature spiked tufts of hair. On the back of the hoodie was the Ultimatrix dial, carefully stitched in according to Midoriya's exacting specifications.

For Midoriya, his costume represented the two biggest heroes in his life—the one who inspired his dream, and the one who helped him achieve it. The only thing that had nothing to do with All Might or Ben was the pair of red boots he wore, a sturdier version of his favorite shoes.

"An interesting costume, Midoriya-san," a familiar voice said. "It is more practical than most, but it makes sense, considering your transformations."

Midoriya turned and blinked; Iida's costume looked like a cross between a robot and a medieval knight. The white plates were sleek, but sturdy, as was the black mesh between the plates. The boosters popping out of his legs—and his general attitude—gave even more credence to the robot warrior look.

"Thanks, Iida-san," he said. "Your costume looks great, too! It looks a lot like Ingenium's costume!"

Though his helmet hid his face, Iida made a show of looking embarrassed. "Oh, you know the Turbo Hero? Well, the thing is… he is actually my older brother!"

Midoriya's jaw dropped; while Ingenium wasn't in the top ten of Japan's Heroes, he was still wildly popular, and very successful. The fact that Midoriya was now friends with his younger brother was just so cool!

"Hey, guys, wait up!" Sero jogged over to the other two boys, the rest of the male students right behind him. "You know, Iida-san, I thought you'd take longer to get suited up, but then I remembered that speed is kinda your thing, huh?"

Sero's outfit was sleek and efficient; it was mostly black and white, with orange shoulders, and more orange on his boots and the sleeves that ended above his elbows. Throughout the design, there was the motif of a roll of tape, up to and including his helmet that actually looked like a tape dispenser. That was unsurprising, considering that his Quirk was called Tape, and involved shooting long strands of said substance from his canister-shaped elbows; he'd explained it all during lunch, and it was one more thing Midoriya wanted to write down in a notebook.

Next was Bakugo, who stormed past Midoriya with only a furious glare—which, by his standards, meant that he was in a good mood. His outfit was made of blacks and greens, with a hint of orange; it was mostly simple and sturdy, with two notable exceptions. The first was the mask on his face, which wrapped around his head and ended in what looked like tiny explosions. The second were the two massive gauntlets on his forearms that looked like oversized hand grenades.

Behind him was Kirishima; his outfit consisted mostly of black pants and boots, with a ragged waistcoat and red gear-shaped shoulder guards, but otherwise, his torso was completely bare. He also had a red R on his belt, and a black mask that had a faintly demonic look around his mouth and chin. He grinned and flexed one bicep, not that he needed to; Midoriya didn't know what training regimen turned Kirishima so ripped, but he was a little jealous.

Then there was Sato Rikido, a large, big-lipped boy that looked like a stereotypical meathead at first glance, but he'd seemed nice enough yesterday. His spiky brown hair was mostly concealed by the yellow bodysuit he wore; yellow was the predominant color for his costume, other than the white boots and gloves. He also had a white belt that was lined with small containers, though Midoriya didn't know what they held—maybe that white powder he'd seen the boy eat yesterday that seemed to increase his strength.

Next was Mineta Minoru, the grape-boy who had come in last place during the test. His costume was mostly purple, to match his hair, but with yellow gloves, boots, cape, and a white… diaper? Midoriya had no other way to describe it; it looked like a diaper, and for the life of him, he couldn't figure out what use it had.

Like Midoriya himself, Kaminari had a more casual outfit. It consisted of black pants, a white shirt, and a black jacket over it that was decorated with white lightning bolts. He also wore some kind of headpiece with an antenna over his right ear. He saw Midoriya's own costume and grinned in approval.

Koda Koji was, at first glance, rather intimidating. He was tall and broad, with a craggy rock of a head. Midoriya had yet to hear him speak, but his yellow and red outfit had stylized teeth on the front, so he figured that the larger boy's Quirk had something to do with either his mouth or voice.

Like Koda, Shoji was also intimidating. His outfit consisted of a blue and purple jumpsuit, with all six of his arms completely exposed. The costume might have been rather plain, but his physique more than made up for it; if anything, it drew attention to his arms.

Tokoyami Fumikage was also rather strange in appearance; from the neck down, he looked completely ordinary, but his head was that of a black-feathered bird's. Midoriya wasn't sure what he was wearing under that black cloak that went down to his ankles, and he didn't know what the boy's Quirk was, but Tokoyami still gave off a stoic aura that kept everyone at a distance.

Aoyama Yuga practically skipped out of the locker room, which was all the weirder because he was wearing actual plate armor. The blonde-haired boy, who had a face set in a permanent—if bizarre—smile, practically glittered. His armor had several lenses, the most prominent of which was mounted over his stomach. During the tests yesterday, he'd explained that he used the lens on his belt to magnify the laser he could fire from his belly button. The blast was powerful enough to propel him through the air, but only for a few seconds at most, and then he fell to the ground. He had also explained that keeping up his laser for too long could make his stomach explode.

Aoyama noticed Midoriya studying him, and winked through his wing-shaped red glasses, and then fluttered his red cape. Midoriya wasn't quite sure how to react, so he just gave a thumbs-up.

Ojiro Mashirao was doing some light stretches as he walked—not just with his arms and legs, but with the thick tail that ended with a tuft of blonde hair that matched the hair on his head, and the fur that poked out of the left side of the collar of his white gi.

Finally, there was Todoroki Shoto, the boy with the burn and two-toned hair. His costume was so plain it made Midoriya's look exotic. It was just a pair of white pants, shirt, and boots, with gold belts around his shoulders. He had created ice from his right side yesterday to launch himself forward during the standing long jump, and said that he could also create fire from his left, but he had only used ice.

"Good, we're all together," Iida said, and promptly turned and began walking down the hall. "I believe the girls will be meeting us there."

"Oh, man, I can't wait!" Everyone took a few steps away from Mineta, who was drooling again. "Have you seen the hotties in this class? Their costumes are going to be so—ouch!"

Bakugo reached out and picked up the small boy by the back of the neck. "Quit running your disgusting little mouth, Grape—we're here to be Heroes, not ogle, so shut the hell up."

It was one of the rare instances that Midoriya found himself in complete agreement with Bakugo. Yes, it was obvious that the girls in the class were attractive, but Mineta was making everyone else uncomfortable.

Speaking of the female students, the boys did indeed meet up with them on the way. Mineta started to drool more, though with Bakugo stomping on his foot, he didn't do more.

"Hey, boys!" Ashido dashed over with an even wider grin than usual. "Lookin' good!"

So was she, if Midoriya was being completely honest. Ashido wore a low-cut bodysuit that was colored with purple and teal camouflage. She also wore beige boots, a sleeveless beige coat with a fur-lined collar, and a beige mask over the top half of her face, only exposing her black-and-yellow eyes. Her arms and shoulders were bare, because of her Quirk—during lunch, she had explained that she could secrete acid from her body, though she preferred creating it from her arms and feet. Midoriya had seen her use that acid as a slide during the test yesterday, and she'd proven extremely athletic.

Behind her, Jiro Kyoka was giving the boys a once-over; she looked unimpressed, though her gaze did linger on Kaminari a bit longer. That was probably because, between the two of them, they could have been in a band. Jiro wore a black leather jacket, black pants, a salmon-colored shirt that looked deliberately ripped in a few places, white fingerless gloves, and a black choker. The most prominent part of her costume were her boots, which looked like they had speakers built into them; she had also painted red triangles below her eyes.

Midoriya jumped when someone poked his arm. "Ribbit, I like your costume, Midoriya."

Asui Tsuyu had done fairly well during the tests yesterday, particularly the ones involving her legs. She'd explained that her Quirk, Frog, basically let her do anything a frog could do, and her costume reflected that. It was a green bodysuit with black and yellow stripes, and the shoes had been designed to look like a frog's feet. She also had large white gloves, and large goggles on her forehead that reminded Midoriya of a frog's eyes. She might have had a blank expression and hunched posture, but with her costume, it was kind of cute.

"Uh, th-thanks, Asui-san," he said. "Yours is cool, too."

"Call me Tsuyu, ribbit."

"Er…" Before Midoriya could respond, his attention was caught by what looked like disembodied gloves and boots moving past him. Then he remembered that one girl, Hagakure Toru, was completely invisible, except for her clothes. He wondered why she kept her gloves and boots visible, though; it would have made more sense to make them out of the same material as the rest of her costume.

Unless she wasn't… actually… wearing anything else.

Midoriya very deliberately pushed that thought aside… and it was immediately replaced by even worse thoughts when Yaoyorozu walked past. The tall girl was obviously gorgeous, but her costume left almost nothing to the imagination. It was mostly just a red leotard, but the front of the middle third was gone, all the way to just past her navel; the costume was held together by a yellow belt on her upper chest, but only just. She also wore red boots, and a pair of yellow belts around her waist that acted like a short skirt. On the back of the belt-skirt was a shelf that held a large book.

Logically speaking, Midoriya knew that it had to do with her Quirk; whenever she'd used it to create objects yesterday, she had exposed a part of her skin. That meant that she _had _to wear an outfit like that in order to effectively use her Quirk. That didn't change the fact that Midoriya was a hormonal teenager, and Yaoyorozu was easily the most beautiful girl he'd ever met.

Ben had been silent, but now he had to comment. "Okay, I'm pretty sure that costume is defying the laws of physics."

With so many people around, Midoriya couldn't tell him to shut up, because he wasn't helping. Maybe Uraraka could help him take his mind off what he'd just seen—

_Oh, god help me._

Uraraka was pretty, that much Midoriya could admit, but she'd never really shown off what she looked like. Her costume changed that; it was a black and pink bodysuit that did absolutely nothing to hide her curves, with large pink boots and pink wrist guards that had some kind of handle on the outside. Her head was protected by a pink helmet that had a darkened visor curving downward, and she had some kind of thin armor around the base of her throat and neck. Only her hands were completely exposed.

Ben looked at her, then the rest of the girls of the class, and then shook his head sadly. "Midoriya… you are so screwed."

At that point, Midoriya nearly snapped at him, consequences be damned, but Uraraka chose that moment to bounce on over to him. And she literally bounced; Midoriya wondered if there were springs in her boots or something, but then he got distracted because of other parts of her that were bouncing.

"Hey, Deku-kun!" Uraraka grinned at him—with her boots, she was now almost as tall as he was. "I love your costume, especially those bunny ears!"

"They're not—" Midoriya cut himself off and sighed. "Thanks, Uraraka-san. And, uh, your costume is, uh—"

"It's kind of embarrassing," she admitted, her blush obvious even through her visor. "I just asked them to make a costume that stimulated my pressure points and helped with nausea, but they made it a lot tighter than I expected."

"Y-yeah…" Midoriya wasn't sure what else to say, but thankfully, All Might was there to bail him out.

"Looking good, students!" All Might's smile grew wider as they walked into a waiting room. "The clothes make the Hero, and I certainly think you'll make quite the impression when you all debut! Now, follow me down to the observation room, and we can get to the lesson!" Once All Might led the class to a much darker room, he looked down at another notecard, and nodded to himself. "Before we begin, a little wisdom for when you're in the field—while the more sensationalized Hero events happen in the open, the truly dangerous Villains will actually be indoors. This is because a home base gives them ample time to carry out their nefarious deeds, and they know the layout, while the Heroes generally don't.

"In this scenario, the Villains are hiding a bomb in a building; the Heroes have located the base, and must disarm said bomb before time runs out. You'll all be divided into teams of two; half of you will be Heroes, the other half will be Villains. The Heroes' objective is to simply touch the bomb; that will count as having disabled it. The Villains only need to stop them, either by incapacitating the Heroes, or preventing them from touching the bomb in time."

Much to Midoriya's embarrassment, most of the class immediately turned and began edging towards him. Obviously, they wanted to be partnered with someone so versatile; once again, All Might came to the rescue.

"No, none of that!" All Might wagged a finger in disapproval. "Your teams will actually be decided by… drawing lots!"

Iida raised his hand as All Might pulled out a box. "All Might-sensei, is such a randomization really the best way to do this?"

"Actually, that makes sense," Midoriya said, before he could stop himself. "In a crisis, lots of Heroes team up with whoever is available, and they usually don't have very long to plan."

"Exactly, young Midoriya!" All Might gave him a thumbs-up. "Drawing lots is a good way to simulate the fluid nature of a dangerous scenario."

"Ah, I understand." Iida bowed. "Thank you both for the explanation."

"Not at all! That's why…" All Might chuckled to himself. "I am here!"

Some of the class laughed at his play on his famous phrase, while others groaned. Still, they all got in line to draw lots; Midoriya prayed that he be paired with anyone but Bakugo, and this time, the fates were kind. He drew the letter 'I', as did Uraraka, who jumped over to stand next to him; he tried to ignore how some of the class looked jealous.

"Now, normally, I'd have the matches be randomized as well, but you all took a bit too long getting changed, so we have less time than I'd like—let that be a lesson for the future! Anyway, the Heroes will be teams A, C, E, G, and I, while the Villains will be teams B, D, F, H, and J.

"We'll be starting in order, so teams A and B, get on out to your assigned building!" All Might paused and looked at another card. "Uh, you'll find the entrance to the field just down the stairs, and your building will have the Villains' letter on the side. And remember: no causing serious injury to your opponents, but keep in mind that this is supposed to imitate a real crisis, so I encourage the Villain teams to act the part! Speaking of which, I should mention that the Villain team will have ten minutes to get used to their 'base' and to place their bomb, and then both sides will get five minutes to create a plan. After that, you have fifteen minutes before the bomb goes off. Good luck to you all!"

Team A consisted of Yaoyorozu and Sero, while Team B had Todoroki and Shoji. The Hero team shared a brief smile before Sero put on his helmet, while the Villain team barely nodded at each other.

As soon as the teams left, All Might pressed a button on the computer behind him, revealing camera footage from both inside and outside the fake hideout.

"You'll all want to pay close attention," All Might said. "You'll be learning by observing as well."

Midoriya already had his notebook out and was scribbling furiously. It was a good way to not think about how he and Uraraka would be going up against Bakugo and Iida in the final round.

"So," Kirishima said, in an effort to break the sudden silence, "any bets on who's going to win this match?"

"Well, Yaoyorozu-san has an incredibly versatile Quirk," Midoriya said, almost to himself. "She can make practically anything, which means she can adapt to almost any situation. Sero-san's Quirk is perfect for scaling walls, so I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to surprise the other team from above.

"On the other hand, Todoroki-san can generate ice, so if he makes enough of it fast enough, he could literally freeze the Hero team in their tracks." Midoriya raised an eyebrow as he thought. "Shoji-san said yesterday that he could turn his arms into other sensory organs, so he makes for the perfect lookout. If anything, this Villain team might be the best choice for defense!"

It took him a moment to realize that everyone, even All Might, was staring at him. "Uh, what?"

Uraraka held up a hand, almost like she was addressing a teacher. "Deku-kun, did you just come up with all of that off the top of your head?"

Midoriya immediately shrunk in on himself. "I-it's a hobby. Sorry."

"Don't apologize, young Midoriya!" All Might walked over and clapped him on the shoulder. "On-the-fly analysis of someone's abilities is good for gauging how to fight against a Villain, or alongside a Hero." He turned back to the screen. "With that analysis in mind, what odds would you put on the Heroes winning?"

Midoriya shrugged. "Not good, All Might-sensei. _If _the Hero team can avoid being seen by Shoji-san, and _if _they try to sneak in from above, they'll have one shot to get to the bomb. If they miss, Todoroki-san will probably freeze them immediately."

Mineta grinned. "Ooh, a cold Yaoyorozu means a _wet _Yaoyor—ow!"

Nobody commented when Asui extended her long, powerful tongue and slapped Mineta across the face. Instead, they watched the screen.

…

"So, uh, you sure you don't want me to carry you up the side?"

Yaoyorozu smiled and shook her head. "No, thank you. We need to make sure that the roof is empty, and you'll be more agile if I'm not in the way. If it's safe, just lower some tape and pull me up; after that, we'll sneak in from above and hopefully surprise the other team before they can react."

"We'll have to be really quiet," Sero said. "I think Shoji-san can make extra ears."

"That's true; thankfully, I have an idea." Yaoyorozu's stomach glowed, and four footprint-shaped pads with shoelaces emerged. "This is a soundproofing material. It should mask our approach."

"Awesome!" Sero quickly tied the padding to the bottoms of his boots. "All we need are some shuriken, and we'll be ninjas!"

Yaoyorozu smiled at his enthusiasm, even as she modified her own footwear. "Remember, we'll have to be fast once we locate the bomb. If you can slow the other team down, even for a few seconds, I'll keep them in place, and you can go for the weapon."

"You got it!" Sero stretched out his arms. "Time to go to work!"

"_Hero team!" _All Might's voice boomed out of the nearby speakers. _"Begin!"_

Sero nodded once more at his teammate, and then aimed his left elbow at the Villains' five-story hideout. A line of tape shot out at incredible speeds and attached just past the fourth floor; he pulled himself up as quickly as he could, and then shot another line of tape to pull himself up the rest of the way. He poked his head over the roof to briefly scan it, and then tapped the communicator in his helmet, which had been provided from a table just outside the field.

"_Yaoyorozu-san, it's clear!"_

Rather than answer, Yaoyorozu nodded, and then held out her hand expectantly. Sero lowered a long line of tape, and once she had a good grip, he pulled her up.

"Stage one, complete," Sero said in an overly-serious tone that made Yaoyorozu smile. "Good thing there's a rooftop door, though; otherwise, we'd have to risk the fifth floor windows."

Yaoyorozu winced. _That's a good point; I hadn't considered that this training area might not be a hundred percent accurate. Stupid, Momo! Get your head in the game!_

Determined to make up for her perceived blunder, she opened the door and quietly led the way down the stairs to the fifth floor. The lights were out, likely because of Todoroki and Shoji; the Heroes' vision was limited, while the Villains weren't as hampered, thanks to Shoji's enhanced senses. Because of the darkness, it took several minutes to check that neither the bomb nor the Villain team was there; by Yaoyorozu's estimate, they had less than ten minutes left.

"We need to hurry," she whispered as quietly as she could into her earpiece. "We don't have much time."

"_Then we need to find that bomb, and fast," _Sero's own whisper was loud in her ear. _"They're not on the fifth floor, and they wouldn't be dumb enough to put in on the first… the third floor sounds like a safe bet."_

"You're right. At the center, it's easier to defend and counterattack; still, we should be careful until—wait, is it getting colder in here?"

Before Sero could respond, a thin layer of ice began rapidly creeping across the floor; within seconds, it had almost reached them.

"Move!" Sero shouted, and then used his tape to swing up to the ceiling.

Thinking quickly, Yaoyorozu made a wide, sweeping motion with her right arm, producing a wave of rock salt at the same time. The salt blocked some of the ice heading for her, but more crept around to encircle her.

"Sero-san, go for the bomb!" she yelled. "I'll try to hold Todoroki-san off!"

Sero hesitated only for a moment, but nodded. "Okay, good luck!"

"Don't think I'll let you go so easily," Todoroki said as he stepped out of the shadows. His entire left side was covered in armor-like ice, which made an ominous crunch with every step. He raised his right arm, and a pillar of ice shot up at Sero, who barely swung out of the way in time.

Rather than try to hit Sero with more pillars, Todoroki just tapped his right foot on the floor; a moment later, the stairways were frozen over.

"The wind—" before Yaoyorozu could finish her sentence, all of the windows were covered in ice as well. _Just how powerful is he!? What's his limit? Does he even _have _one?_

"We'll just have to fight him!" Sero said, and fired a line of tape from his spot on the ceiling that looped around Todoroki's torso; that lasted about two seconds before Todoroki froze the tape halfway to the source, Sero's elbow, and then easily shattered it.

Yaoyorozu aimed her palm at Todoroki and produced a long pole, tipped with a small fist. It shot straight at Todoroki's head, but with a single step from his right foot, a wall of ice shot up to block it.

_That was only a diversion, _she thought, and drew her other arm back. _Now, I'll just make a flash-bang grenade to throw him off, and—_

Yaoyorozu had just started creating the grenade when her arm became even colder than the rest of her. She looked down and saw that a small pillar of ice had sprouted under the limb and had frozen around it; it began moving up her arm, until she was frozen up to the shoulder. Ice then grew around her ankles and slowly crept up her legs, holding her in place.

"Yaoyor—ack!" Sero tried to swing down to free his teammate, only for Todoroki to create another ice wall in his path. This time, his timing was more precise, and Sero slammed headlong into the ice; a moment later, he was also trapped.

"_That's enough!" _All Might's voice boomed from the speakers. _"The Hero team is trapped; the Villains win!"_

Todoroki wasted no time freeing his classmates from his ice; all it took was a few minutes of fire from his left side. Shoji also emerged from downstairs and used his considerable strength to help move the larger chunks of ice.

Even as she created towels to help dry herself and Sero, Yaoyorozu couldn't help but feel dejected. _We were completely outclassed; their strategy countered everything we could have done._

…

"Whoa." Kaminari broke the silence in the observation room first. "I hate to make a pun, but Todoroki was _cold _out there."

"I heard that," Todoroki said as the two teams walked inside.

"Eep!" Kaminari jumped and quickly hid behind Kirishima.

"First of all, I want to congratulate both teams," All Might said. "You both had good plans, and the Heroes kept their cool—sorry, young Todoroki—even when their own plan started to fall apart. Keeping a clear head is an important quality to have in the field! Now, then, before the next teams go out, I'd like to hear some feedback from the rest of the class."

Ashido held up her hand. "I don't know if this is really feedback, but Midori was right, before. This whole thing gives a huge advantage to whoever is playing defense."

Yaoyorozu turned to Midoriya with a slightly hurt look on her face. "You knew we would lose?"

Midoriya immediately blushed and shook his head. "N-no! I j-just said that the Villain team had really good defensive options, and they had more time to prepare. Y-you had a good strategy, Yaoyorozu-san, it was just that…" he trailed off and looked at the rest of the class with an expression that begged for help.

"You would have done well against almost any other team," Todoroki said—not patronizingly, but just stating a simple fact. "You were quiet enough that Shoji-san couldn't hear you, and neither did I; I just waited by the stairs until I saw you."

The rest of the class shared similar sentiments; it wasn't that the Heroes had a bad plan, it just didn't survive contact with the enemy.

"Excellent points, everyone!" All Might nodded. "Now, before we move on, I'd like to say that young Todoroki was the MVP of this match! He had a plan and the skill to handle two unpredictable opponents!"

Todoroki only shrugged as the rest of the class—minus Bakugo—politely applauded.

"All right, time for the next teams, C and D, to get ready!"

Hagakure and Ashido were the Villains, so they left first; a few minutes later, Sato and Asui left to make their own plan. While that happened, Yaoyorozu noticed Midoriya scribbling in his notebook.

"Midoriya-san, were you taking notes during the first match?"

Midoriya jumped and stared up at her with his big eyes; honestly, she found it a little cute that someone so powerful was so nervous around people, especially girls.

"W-well, yes," he admitted. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you! It's just that learning about Quirks and their applications is a hobby of mind, and—"

Yaoyorozu giggled. "It's fine, I don't mind."

"O-oh, good. Um, while we wait, could I ask you about your Quirk? I saw that you can make things, but how does it work?"

"It's nothing special," Yaoyorozu said, waving him off. "I just turn the lipids in my body into any inorganic object I want. I just have to know the molecular composition of the item in question."

"Wait…" Midoriya's eyes went even wider. "You mean, you know the molecular formula for soundproofing material off the top of your head?"

"Um… yes?"

Jiro, who Yaoyorozu had become friends with the day before, grinned. "See, Yaomomo here had the best middle school grades in the country. Figuring out how to make soundproof footwear is a piece of cake!"

Yaoyorozu blushed at the praise and the attention she was getting, but didn't deny any of it. Although…

"Excuse me, 'Yaomomo'?"

Jiro shrugged. "No offense, but your full name is kind of a mouthful. Besides, Ashido calls Midoriya 'Midori', so you're not the first to get a name-shortening."

Uraraka held up her hand. "All in favor of calling Yaoyorozu-san 'Yaomomo', say aye!"

"Aye!" Most of the students present raised their hands.

Embarrassed, but less depressed about her match, Yaoyorozu glanced at Sero, who just grinned; he wasn't down about what happened, and he clearly wasn't upset with her. She decided to just do better next time; of course, if she had to face off against classmates again, she'd have to be more prepared. With that in mind, she took a page out of Midoriya's book and created a notebook and a pencil of her own; she had notes to take.

…

All of the matches went by rather quickly. Ashido and Hagakure lost when Asui managed to catch the latter with her incredibly long tongue; Sato had eaten his sugar to boost his strength, and then slammed the ground hard enough to create a shockwave that sent Ashido flying before she could create any acid. Still dragging Hagakure with her tongue, Asui then hopped over to the bomb and tying things up between Heroes and Villains. Since Asui had come up with the tactics to defeat the Villains, and had multitasked by the end, she received the MVP award.

The next match pitted Aoyama and Mineta as the Heroes against Jiro and Tokoyami. At first, it looked like the Hero team would win handily; Mineta had started things off by pulling his sticky purple balls off his head and had trapped Jiro's foot to the floor. Tokoyami had tried to free his teammate by using his own Quirk, a living entity that emerged from within him called Dark Shadow. Aoyama turned out to be a hard counter for the living Quirk; his Navel Laser's light drove back the darkness that was Dark Shadow, forcing him to retreat back within Tokoyami. That lasted until Jiro extended her living jacks down to her boots; her heartbeats boomed out from her speakers, sending both Heroes flying out of a first-floor window. Unfortunately, Mineta had been holding two more balls at the time, and they ended up accidentally gluing him to Aoyama's leg. The two struggled for the rest of the test, while Jiro and Dark Shadow laughed. In the end, Jiro had received the MVP for her ability to counterattack before the Hero team had capitalized their advantage.

The penultimate match was won by the Heroes almost by accident. Kirishima and Ojiro had taken out Koda within seconds, but Kaminari discovered that he was far more dangerous than the two close-combat specialists' expected. His Quirk created massive amounts of electricity, and though Ojiro had landed a good hit on the boy with his tail, he'd been paralyzed by Kaminari in return. Kirishima had lasted longer; his Quirk, Hardening, could give his body a rocklike appearance that was both armor and a weapon. However, though he punched Kaminari hard enough to knock the wind out of him, the electricity had messed with his muscle control, forcing him out of his Hardening. Kaminari had recovered first and limped to the bomb, though Kirishima had held onto the other boy's leg the entire time, shouting about how he should stay and fight like a real man. Still, the Hero team won, but Kirishima was named MVP for his sheer tenacity.

Throughout all the matches, Midoriya provided a running commentary. He pointed out how certain Quirks had specific weaknesses that other Quirks could take advantage of, but it still fell to the users in question to recognize those advantages. He also made a point of complimenting both sides after every match, praising what they did right, and pointing out how they could do better next time. Even some of the students who were less gracious in defeat were aware that Midoriya was actually giving good advice.

By the time of the final match, though, everyone noticed how nervous Midoriya was; his trembling only got worse whenever he so much as glanced at Bakugo, and no one missed the hatred on Bakugo's face. It was as if Midoriya's mere existence offended him, but none of them could figure out why; from their perspective, Midoriya had only been friendly and helpful, if a little awkward.

All Might, however, knew the truth, or at least suspected it. While he was widely respected for his power, his courage, and his selflessness, people didn't really attribute high intelligence with him. That wasn't to say that people thought he was dumb, he just gave the impression that he would rather act first, and think second.

When he put his mind to something, however, he was quite sharp. After Bakugo's actions the day before, All Might had looked up Midoriya's school records; a few counselors had made notes that Midoriya showed signs that he was being bullied, but no action had ever been taken to help him, or punish the guilty. It was obvious who the guilty party was, though, and one counselor in Midoriya's middle school had sent a letter to the principal, suggesting that Bakugo be taken in for disciplinary action. That same counselor had been threatened with unpaid leave the next day.

All Might understood why, and he hated it. Bakugo was talented, smart, possessed an amazing Quirk, and had all the makings of a Pro Hero; if he made it big, his previous schools would gain enormous prestige. That was enticing enough to let his bullying slide then, but not now; All Might wouldn't tolerate such behavior, and neither would anyone else in UA. Bakugo would become a better human being, or he would be expelled, simple as that.

"All right," he said out loud, getting the class' attention. "Villain team, head on out, prepare your bomb, and make your plan. Hero team, you know the drill by now, so just wait before entering your designated zone. Good luck to both teams!"

Bakugo gave Midoriya one more hate-filled glare, and then stalked off, Iida hot on his heels. As soon as he was gone, Midoriya sighed and nearly fell to his knees.

Uraraka put a hand on his shoulder. "Deku-kun, are you okay?"

Midoriya took a deep breath; All Might noticed that the boy seemed to take strength from positive reactions, something to note for later classes.

"I'll be fine, Uraraka-san. Thanks." Midoriya took another deep breath. "Kacchan—er, Bakugo and I, we… have some bad history. Let's just leave it at that, okay?"

Even a few months ago, Midoriya would have never said even that much. However, he had spent a long time talking to Ben about it, and the hologram had convinced that Bakugo really wasn't his friend anymore. Midoriya still respected the other boy, though, and thought that he would become an amazing Hero; he decided that he wouldn't sabotage Bakugo's future by telling anyone details, but he was done defending him.

Midoriya's words were quiet, and likely meant for Uraraka only, but the rest of the class heard him. None of the students were stupid; they, like All Might, suspected that Bakugo had been antagonistic towards Midoriya before, and since he'd thought he'd been Quirkless for most of his life, he'd had no real way to defend himself. All Might hoped that Bakugo improved his attitude soon, or he'd have an entire class hating him.

"Come on, let's go downstairs," Uraraka urged. "We can come up with a plan."

Midoriya paused, and All Might swore he glanced at the empty air for a moment; when he turned back to Uraraka, there was a more determined look in his eyes.

"I think I already have an idea. Uh, one second." He held up his notebook. "Can someone hold onto this until I get back?"

Yaoyorozu, who had cheered up since her match, especially when Midoriya got her talking about Quirks—and All Might wasn't sure if it had been deliberate, but he was positive that the tall girl had found the boy quite charming—held out her hand. "Of course, Midoriya-san. Good luck to you both!"

All Might kept up his smile as the Hero team left. _I won't play favorites, young Midoriya; however, I wish you luck in facing your demons. I know from experience how painful that can be._

…

"Okay, Deku-kun, what's your idea?" Midoriya wished that Uraraka would stop hopping up and down; it was distracting him. "Iida-san seems strong, and so does Bakugo-san, but we have you, right?"

"I can't do everything," Midoriya said, and Uraraka finally stopped jumping. "I don't want you to rely on me to do everything, and we can still lose, no matter what I turn into. Kac—Bakugo is strong, fast, and smart, and I doubt I'll be able to surprise him more than once. Iida is also fast, and I wouldn't want to get kicked by him."

"But you _did _say you have an idea," Uraraka said.

"Y-yeah." Midoriya put a hand to his chin and started to pace. "I noticed that Iida ran faster when he had more time to run, so if you can keep him from any long hallways, he probably won't be able to run too fast for you to grab him. As for Bakugo… I know how his Quirk works. More importantly, I know its biggest weakness.

"I seriously doubt that Bakugo will work with Iida on _anything_." As he continued to pace, Uraraka watched with fascinated eyes. "He'll come after us instead of waiting, but he's not stupid; he'll probably have Iida guarding the bomb. If we're lucky, we'll avoid Bakugo and reach Iida before it's too late; we can overwhelm him and get the bomb."

Uraraka hated to interrupt, but the way Midoriya seemed afraid of Bakugo had her nervous. "What if we're _not _lucky?"

Midoriya paused, and then took a deep, steadying breath—she'd seen him do that a lot, and it almost seemed like he was following instructions. "Like I said, I know his Quirk, and how he thinks. I can counter him, and while we fight, you go on ahead to the bomb. If you fight Iida, don't let him build up speed; get in his face so that he can't use his legs. Even if you can't use your Quirk on him, just rattle his cage until you see an opening for the bomb—that's the objective."

Uraraka pumped a fist. "You got it, Deku-kun! So, what are you going to turn into?"

Midoriya frowned thoughtfully, then activated the Ultimatrix; he cycled through his aliens, until he found the one he wanted. He held his hand over the dial and waited expectantly.

"_Hero team…" _All Might said, _"Start!"_

Midoriya slammed down the dial, and vanished in a flash of green. "FOUR ARMS!"

Now it was Uraraka's turn to frown. "Hasn't he seen that one? I thought you wanted to surprise him."

Four Arms gave her a thumbs-up with three hands. "Don't worry, it's part of my plan."

The Hero team made their way into the hideout; Four Arms was in front, ready to move in front of Uraraka, in case Bakugo ambushed them and tried to blow them away. They didn't find the Villain team, or the bomb, on the first floor, but that just made Four Arms more nervous.

"It's going to be okay," Ben said as he floated alongside him. "You're strong, Izuku; strong enough to face him. You just need to stand your ground and fight."

_He's right, _Four Arms thought. _This is something I _have_ to do. Bakugo has pushed me around for years, and he needs to stop. This is the only way he'll accept that I'm not a worthless Deku anymore._

As they moved through the second floor, they heard footsteps heading their way. Four Arms took one more fortifying breath, and then rounded the corner. There was Bakugo, waiting patiently in front of the stairs to the next floor; the plan to avoid him had officially gone out the window.

"Well, well," Bakugo said with a sneer, "if it isn't little Deku, still trying to play Hero, huh?"

Even though his old tormentor still scared him, Four Arms couldn't help but raise an eyebrow; in his current form, he was almost twice as tall as Bakugo, so he didn't know where he got off calling him 'little'.

"You're not going anywhere near the bomb, Deku," Bakugo snarled, and crouched low, his arms curled and ready to unleash explosions. "And when I'm done with you, you're going to realize that you should never have tried coming to UA!"

"Uraraka-san…" Four Arms drew all of his arms back. "Go!"

Just as Bakugo started to extend his arms, Four Arms clapped all four of his hands together; it created a focused shockwave that sent Bakugo tumbling back. While Bakugo tried to regain his footing, Uraraka ran up the stairs.

"Oh, you think you're cute, letting your girlfriend go on ahead?" Bakugo aimed his palms at Four Arms. "After I'm done beating you into a pulp, I'm gonna find her, and then there's gonna be _two _less students in our class!"

_Okay, I'm not baiting him anymore, _Four Arms thought angrily. _Now, I just want to hurt him._

"You aren't going to touch her," he said, his voice a low growl. "Not after _I'm _done with _you_."

…

In the observation room, the class watched closely; everyone noticed when Four Arms' expression changed.

"I kinda wish we could hear what they were saying," Ashido said. "I mean, it's obvious that Bakugo said something to piss off Midori. Then again, he doesn't seem like the angry type, so maybe I _don't _want to know."

Yaoyorozu frowned. "I don't think it really matters. It's obvious that those two have some bad blood between them, and if Midoriya-san thought he was Quirkless until recently, it's only now that he has a chance to fight back."

…

Bakugo sneered again; his palm glowed, visible even through his glove, and he unleashed a large explosion that sent Four Arms sprawling. His outfit was now a little singed, and his ears were ringing, but he was more or less unharmed. Bakugo was certainly surprised when he got to his feet.

"I'm tired of being your punching bag," Four Arms said through clenched teeth. "Now, it's my turn." He slapped the dial on his chest, and Bakugo shielded his eyes from the light. "WATER HAZARD!"

This new form was still taller than Bakugo; it looked like a humanoid shellfish, with a thick red-and-grey exoskeleton. He had a sloped hump rising over and around his head, and had a hole in each of his palms.

"What the hell is that?" Bakugo mocked. "An oversized lobster?"

"No," Water Hazard said in a raspy voice. "This is payback."

Now it was Bakugo's turn to watch as his opponent aimed a palm at him; he was almost too late to react when a jet of water lanced towards him. He quickly aimed his hands at the floor and fired off an explosion that sent him up to the ceiling. He dodged the water, but then had to fire another explosion to avoid a second stream. His maneuvering brought him right over Water Hazard—into what Bakugo liked to call 'face-exploding range'. Water Hazard brought up an arm to protect his face from the explosion that knocked him flat on his back.

"You know, you really haven't changed," Bakugo said as he landed. "You have all that power, but you're still useless."

"I'm not…" Water Hazard slowly got to his feet, and then quickly lashed out with more water that caught Bakugo on the arm. "_I'm not useless_!"

Bakugo scowled; that water had had a lot of pressure behind it, and if he hadn't rolled with the hit, it might have dislocated his arm at the elbow. He raised that same arm to return the favor… but nothing happened.

"What the fuck!?" Bakugo looked down at his gloved hand.

His soaking… wet… hand.

"No…"

"Like I told Uraraka-san," Water Hazard said, "I know your Quirk almost as well as you do. It's hard to ignite something when it's sopping wet, huh?"

"You bastard." Bakugo launched himself up with his dry hand. "You think you can beat me!? I only need one hand to blow you away!"

With only one explosion to send him upward, his launch was off-kilter, and Water Hazard capitalized on that; he aimed at Bakugo's other hand, but only managed to glance it. Still, it was enough to send him careening out of control and into a wall. Water Hazard wasn't sure, but he thought he heard a sickening _pop _as Bakugo's shoulder was dislocated. For that moment, he wasn't in a training session—instead, he was a little boy again, who saw his friend get hurt.

"Kacchan," he said, hurrying up to him, "I'm sorry, are you—"

"SHUT UP!" Bakugo aimed his working arm—the partially dry one—at him and fired a much larger blast that sent Water Hazard into the wall with so much force that it left a Water Hazard-shaped crater. "Are you seriously taking _pity _on me!? Don't you _dare _pity me, you damn nerd!"

"You're right," Water Hazard grunted as he pulled himself free. "That was dumb. You're the Villain here, and I'm the Hero. I can feel guilty about hurting you later."

However, as much as he wished otherwise, he _didn't _feel guilty. In fact, after years of being Bakugo's favorite victim, it felt great to dish it back. But that wasn't who Midoriya was; he was someone who wanted to _help _people, even his greatest enemy. He couldn't just hit people, because that wasn't who he was.

"I'll be sure you receive the best care, Villain," Water Hazard said, falling into character. "Not just for your hospital stay, but also so that you can maybe rejoin society one day."

Bakugo, for his part, just rolled his eyes. "Oh, just _die_, Deku!"

He raised his semi-dry hand for an explosion, but Water Hazard was quicker on the draw, and a torrent of water soaked Bakugo's hand. Just for good measure, Water Hazard left the other boy completely drenched.

"Damn it!" Bakugo sputtered and tried to maintain his footing on the slippery floor. "This isn't how it's supposed to be! I'm supposed to be a Hero, and you… you're nothing!"

Water Hazard shook his head sadly; Bakugo just wasn't facing reality. Just as Bakugo, now unable to use his Quirk, but unwilling to give up, charged at him, Water Hazard slapped the Ultimatrix dial.

"SWAMPFIRE!" Now, he was a tall humanoid that seemed to be made of green plant material, except for his head, which looked more like stylized fire. "Sorry, Bakugo, but this is where it ends."

"It ends when _I _say it ends, Deku!" Bakugo slammed his uninjured arm into Swampfire's side, but his blow just sank into the soft vegetable matter.

More surprising was that, although the scrapes and scorches from Water Hazard had carried over to this new form, those blackened sections of Swampfire quickly regained his color. Whatever this form was, it possessed regeneration.

_That… that's just not fair._

"No, it doesn't." Swampfire's deep, nasally voice was almost sad as he drew back his fist and drove it into Bakugo's nose. The blow sent him stumbling back; Swampfire finished the fight when he plucked several of the red seeds from his shoulders and tossed them at Bakugo's feet, where they exploded into thick vines that completely immobilized him.

Swampfire ignored Bakugo's increasingly inventive stream of curses as he looked up. "I hope Uraraka-san is doing okay."

…

Uraraka would be the first to admit that she wasn't a violent person; as a Hero, she knew that there was a good chance that she would have to fight at some point, but she'd always envisioned herself as more of a Rescue Hero, like Thirteen, her favorite Hero.

Unfortunately, there was no rescuing to be done today—just combat, and her opponent was more suited to that than she was.

"It seems that a foolish Hero has stumbled into my lair!" Iida held his arms out to his sides and laughed as maniacally as he could. "You have come here to try and stop me, only to fall!"

Uraraka tried very hard to keep a straight face; Iida was many things, but a good actor wasn't one of them.

"Sorry, but I don't have time for this, Villain!" Uraraka brought her hands in close, ready to lunge for Iida or make herself float at a moment's notice. "I'm here to stop you and save this city!"

Iida took a step back, and Uraraka heard his boosters begin to warm up. "You will try."

There was less than twenty feet separating them; from what Uraraka had seen yesterday, and what Deku had told her, Iida hadn't been able to reach his maximum speeds when crossing fifty _meters_. Like her partner had said, all she had to do was make sure that he didn't build up enough speed.

"I'll succeed!" Uraraka dashed forward, keeping her center of gravity low and making herself as small a target as possible.

Iida charged, then spun around on one leg to build up momentum with his other. His boosters were far from their maximum, but an armored kick to the head still hurt, even with her helmet. Uraraka saw stars as she was sent flying back, and she connected with the wall with a solid crunch. When her vision settled, there was a spiderweb of cracks across her visor, and a nasty scrape on her shoulder. Still, it wasn't as bad as when she'd been trapped during the entrance exam; at least there was no giant robot about to kill her.

She got up and again ran at Iida, who brought his leg around for another devastating kick. This time, though, Uraraka was prepared; she leaned back and slid feet-first under the kick, while reaching out with one hand. Iida's reaction speeds were impressive; he leaned back on one heel and used his boosters to send him flying up at an angle, then twisted around and brought his fist into her face. This time, her visor shattered; she felt dots of pain on her face as shards dug into her face.

Rather than let herself fall on her back, Uraraka slapped her hand against her chest to make her weightless. As she started to float, she saw Iida coming down, almost on top of her.

_Now's my chance!_

Ignoring her nausea as much as possible, Uraraka twisted around, curled her legs in as tightly as she could, and then kicked out. Years of practicing with her Quirk had taught her the value of timing—of knowing just when to apply or release her power. So, just when her boots connected with Iida's chest, she released her Quirk; with weight suddenly behind the double-kick, Iida was sent tumbling, while Uraraka rolled backwards. Her head connected with the floor a few times, but her damaged helmet prevented any concussions.

Before Iida could recover fully, Uraraka dashed for the bomb on the far side of the room.

"No!" Strong hands wrapped around her legs. "I won't let you win!"

"That's too bad," Uraraka shouted, "because I'm not giving up!"

Iida did his best to drag Uraraka back, but instead they fell forward. Uraraka saw stars once more as her chin connected with the floor, but her hand connected with something else.

"_The bomb has been disabled!" _All Might shouted. _"The Hero team… wins!"_

As soon as the buzzer went off, Iida scrambled off of Uraraka and helped her to her feet. "Excellently done, Uraraka-san, you were truly—oh my goodness, are you all right!?"

"Um, I think so, why?" Uraraka brought her hand to her face, and it came away bloody. "Oh."

"Uraraka-san, Iida-san!" the familiar voice had the two students turn.

_Oh, I bet Deku-kun is going to freak out, _Uraraka thought. "Hey, Deku-kun! We won!"

Midoriya, now back to normal, dropped what had been an adorable smile in favor of abject horror. "Oh my god, what happened!?"

Iida bowed low. "My apologies! I damaged Uraraka-san's helmet, and she fell."

She couldn't see it, but Uraraka looked like she'd walked out of a horror film. Her cheeks bled from the shrapnel of her visor, and her chin had been busted open; when she'd wiped it, a layer of blood was smeared over her jaw.

"W-we need to get you to Recovery Girl!" Midoriya dashed over and put her arm over his shoulder. "Iida-san—"

"Already on it." Iida gently took her other arm, the injured one, and then had an idea. He waved at one of the cameras, pointed at Uraraka, and then at the door.

"_I understand, young Iida. Please, escort young Uraraka to Recovery Girl. I'll free young Bakugo, and give you three your scores later."_

At this point, the adrenaline had faded, and Uraraka was starting to feel the pain; she also started to get a little dizzy.

"Wait, why does Bakugo-san need to be freed?"

"I'll explain later," Midoriya promised, then hesitantly patted her on the back. "You were great, Uraraka-san."

She giggled. "You don't even know what I did."

Midoriya shrugged with the shoulder not supporting her. "It… d-doesn't matter. I know you were great."

Uraraka wasn't sure what was sweeter—his words, or how he tried to hide his blush under his hood. "Thanks, Deku-kun."

…

"Well, now that that's all settled," All Might said as he and Bakugo—who had outright refused to go to Recovery Girl until he found out his score—walked into the observation room, "let's all discuss what happened."

Yaoyorozu held up her hand. "I think that it's obvious that Midoriya-san is still getting used to his Quirk. His decision to use water against Bakugo-san was a good one, but he should have started with that, instead of allowing himself to get blasted at the beginning. In addition, had he used that form in conjunction with Uraraka-san, they likely would have won much faster, and then could have teamed up against Iida-san."

Bakugo glared at her. "Watch it, Ponytail."

"No, she has a point," Shoji said. "If Midoriya-san had kept you pinned with his water, Uraraka-san could have easily tagged you with her Quirk."

Yaoyorozu nodded in thanks as she wrote all of that down. "All Might-sensei, I can give this feedback to the others when we finish, if that's all right with you."

"Of course, young Yaoyorozu!" All Might's smile grew wider. "Your consideration for your classmates is commendable! But, back to the match. Anything else to add?"

Kaminari raised a hand. "Um, couldn't Bakugo have blasted up the entrances? Even if he had done that on his way to face the Hero team alone, that would have slowed Uraraka-san a bit."

"Ribbit, and Iida-san could have just picked up the bomb and ran around with it," Asui said, then tapped her cheek with her gloved hand. "Come to think of it, none of the Villain teams did that, and there was no rule saying they couldn't."

Thanks to the darkness, there was no way to see the nervous sweat on All Might's brow—if there was, it would have been obvious that he had never considered that option either.

"Yes, well, those are all very good points. However, due to her quick thinking and tenacity, I declare that young Uraraka is MVP of this match! Your final scores will be ready outside in a moment; please, take them and then head to the locker room to change, and then you can all head home. Anyone else who feels like their injuries may hamper them are also encouraged to see Recovery Girl—especially you, young Bakugo."

Bakugo scowled. "Tch. Fine."

The students filed out of the room, leaving All Might alone—once he was absolutely sure that Hagakure hadn't stayed behind, he reverted to his skinny form.

"These kids," he muttered as he began typing grades into a computer. "They almost gave me a heart attack a few times. Was I that reckless when I was that age?"

…

By the time Yaoyorozu and Asui—who had decided to help—brought the notes to the infirmary, only Uraraka was still in her costume. Midoriya and Iida had taken the opportunity to change into their regular uniforms while Recovery Girl removed the shrapnel from Uraraka's face.

"You're lucky these are all small, dearie" the two girls heard as they opened the door. "There won't be any scarring."

Recovery Girl kissed Uraraka's forehead; a moment later, the cuts on her face were gone, as was the scrape on her shoulder. She swayed tiredly, and Midoriya helped her lay down on the cot she was sitting on. Yaoyorozu shared a smile with Asui when they saw how adorable that was.

"She'll be fine," Recovery Girl assured the boy, who looked on the verge of panicking. "Give her a few minutes to catch her breath, and then make sure she can walk to the locker room. If there are no problems, she can head straight home."

Midoriya and Iida both sighed. "That's a relief," Midoriya said, and the noticed the new arrivals. "O-oh! Yaoyorozu-san, Asui-san!"

"Ribbit, I said call me Tsuyu." Asui walked over to Uraraka. "So, she's going to be okay?"

Recovery Girl smiled kindly. "She'll be fine, like I said. A few scratches and scrapes are hardly going to slow her down for long. Do you young ladies need my services?"

Yaoyorozu shook her head. "No, thank you; we just came to check on Uraraka-san, and to give all three of them their grades." She also held out a familiar notebook to Midoriya. "You also left this with me, Midoriya-san."

Midoriya went red-faced as he took back his notebook. "Th-thanks for that, Yaoyorozu-san."

Yaoyorozu smiled. "I think the class has agreed to just call me Yaomomo."

Midoriya nodded, and then looked at his grades and feedback. "Okay, I still got an eighty percent, but these points all make sense. Now I know how to be better for next time."

Uraraka sleepily looked over her own notes. "Maybe I should ask the Support Department for a stronger helmet… or at least one with a chin guard."

The conversation focused mainly on the matches, but it came to a screeching halt when the doors opened, and Bakugo stomped in, followed by several other students. Despite having a dislocated shoulder, he had managed to get back into his uniform.

"Oh, dear, that looks unpleasant," Recovery Girl said, looking at his swollen arm. "Sit down, dearie, and I'll get you fixed up."

Bakugo only scowled, while his eyes remained fixed on Midoriya in a way that no one liked; it felt like he was about to attack the smaller boy at the smallest provocation. Midoriya swallowed nervously, but his view was suddenly blocked when Iida, Ashido, Sero and Yaoyorozu circled around him to talk, their backs to Bakugo. When the taller boy opened his mouth, he was cut off when Kirishima put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, man, you gotta tell me what your secret is for powering through all that," Kirishima said. "That was pretty manly."

Bakugo shook his hand off. "I just hate losing, now screw off, Shitty-Hair."

If he was expecting Kirishima to back away after the insult, he was disappointed; in fact, he just grinned wider. Bakugo was about to ask what his deal was, but then Recovery Girl was there, passing out her healing kisses. A few seconds later, Bakugo was asleep on his cot.

"Come on, everyone," Yaoyorozu said to the group surrounding Midoriya, "let's give Recovery Girl space to work."

…

"Welcome home, boys!" Inko said as Izuku walked through the door, with Ben right behind him. "How was school?"

"It was… interesting," Izuku said. "I made a lot of new friends."

Inko smiled widely, and tried not to cry; after years of being mistreated by society, hearing that her son was making friends made her so happy.

Ben grinned at her. "Yeah, and he beat the stuffing out of Bakugo!"

"Wait, what?"

"Ben!"

**Midoriya is a cinnamon roll and **_**will **_**be protected. Also, it wouldn't be My Hero Academia without Bakugo swearing up a storm. Now, a few things happened in this chapter that I want to address.**

**First, I did in fact randomize the pairs, and assigned team letters based on who was paired first. I swear to every deity out there, I did randomly roll up (using a 20-sided die) Midoriya and Uraraka on one team, and Bakugo and Iida on the other. Some things are just fated to be, I guess. That fight with Yaoyorozu and Sero? I'm sorry, but Yaoyorozu is probably one of the most versatile characters in canon, and I would like to see more done with her, so expect her to be part of Midoriya's core group of friends, and doing more. Also, with Midoriya there to actually talk to her when she loses, she'll have more confidence later on. Hooray for early character development.**

**Next is the fact that everyone was aware of the bad blood between Midoriya and Bakugo, though not the reason for why it was there at all. I did this for two reasons. First, like I said, Midoriya must be protected. To explain my second reason, I have to go into a bit of headcanon. **

**UA is one of the most distinguished schools in the country, if not the world. Yes, you can be a Hero with a good Quirk, but Heroes are government employees, and they are held to a certain standard. As such, I believe that every Hero-hopeful has to be smarter than the average person. That's not to say that they are all geniuses—that's basically just Yaoyorozu—but they have to be smart enough to pass the written exam. So, yeah, Kaminari and Ashido might not be geniuses, but they're certainly not idiots. And all of them want to be Heroes, and that means helping people in need; Midoriya is clearly afraid of Bakugo, and Heroes protect people who are afraid of other people. Maybe this is just wishful thinking, but I'm so tired of canon Bakugo being allowed to say and do just about anything he wants.**

**Finally, I decided not to write out every fight, but I hope you enjoyed the summaries.**

**Anyway, this chapter was one of the longest I've ever written, but now I have to get back to my real work. Specifically, I'm writing the sequel to my first book, which should be out in a few months. If you want to get ready for that book's release, please consider buying **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb, on Amazon. It's available both as an eBook and in physical format!**

**You can also be a really cool person by donating on P-atreon (link in my profile). If you reach the top tier, you get a copy of my book anyway!**

**Speaking of my patrons:**

**Serious Muffins: ****CrazySith87, jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Krisjanis Jansons, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, Alexis Troy, John Collins, Calleo, Casey Pak, Red Bard, Ultimatrix10**

**Incredible Muffins: ****RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844, Jaeger456, killroy225, Brian McGloughlin**

**Ultra Muffins: ****Adam Costello, Jeffrey Perigo, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Midoriya starts to bond with his friends, but evil interrupts the good times…**

**Recipro Muffin!**


	5. Texts and Trouble

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. ALIEN OR QUIRK? OOH! HOW ABOUT AN ALIEN WITH A QUIRK?**

**All good things must come to an end, but why do they have to end so soon for Midoriya?**

**Also, having messenger app conversations seems to be common in many MHA stories, so I figured I'd try my hand at it.**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 5

Texts and Trouble

Midoriya was still getting used to the idea of having friends, much less _actually _having them, so he was rather surprised at himself when he created a group chat on his messenger app and invited all of the friends who were in his contacts list. On a whim, he named it 'UA's Rising Stars', and settled down to wait and see if any of his friends joined.

Of course, as soon as he did, he immediately began to panic. _Most of them only joined my contacts list a few hours ago. Is it too soon to talk to them? Too late? Oh, this was a huge mistake!_

Before he could spiral too far, his phone buzzed several times; to his honest shock, everyone had joined in at the same time.

"Wow," he whispered, and opened up the app. He quickly selected his avatar—All Might's face—and began to type.

All Might: Hi, everyone!

_There, that sounded good, right?_

A moment later, several avatars appeared—a pair of glasses, a comet, a tape dispenser, a book, and a pink crayon.

Glasses: Greetings, Midoriya-san! I assume that is you, since I cannot think of anyone else who is such a big fan of All Might. Those ears on your costume are a bit of a giveaway.

"They're not ears," Midoriya grumbled, then returned his attention to his phone, ignoring Ben's laughter.

All Might: Yeah, it's me. Hi, Iida-san.

Tape: Hi, guys! I didn't know we all used this app! Oh, and this is Sero, but that's kinda obvious.

Book: It is very you, Sero-san. I couldn't find any avatars that really represented me, except for this one. I should mention that this is Momo… it's easier to type out my first name.

Comet: Hi, Yaomomo! Hi, guys! How's every1 recovering from 2day's lessons?

Crayon: Hey, gurl! Is all gud heer, but r u ok? U wer bleeding pretty bad

Comet: I'm fine now, Ashido-san. Hey, Deku-kun, can I invite Tsuyu-chan? I got her number before I went home.

All Might: Sure. And I'm glad you're doing better. You scared me when I saw you.

Glasses: I believe I speak for us all that we were worried about you, Uraraka-san. There was… a great deal of blood.

Crayon: ok, enuf! Yall need to stop!

All Might: ?

Glasses: ?

Book: ?

Tape: ?

Comet: ?

Crayon: U r all talking so formally, and this is a freakin chat room! Drop the stoopid honorifics alredy, or were all gonna get arthritis!

There was a long pause, and Midoriya realized that Ashido was right; this was far from a formal conversation.

All Might: Okay, you're right, Ashido.

Crayon: Mina or GTFO

Comet: But didn't Deku make this chat?

Crayon: MINA OR GTFO

At that point, a new avatar icon appeared—a frog. It didn't take a genius to figure out who that was.

Frog: Hi, everyone, ribbit.

All Might: …

Book: …

Glasses: …

Comet: …

Tape: Did you really just add 'ribbit' to a text?

Frog: It's a habit.

Crayon: Its adorable! Tsuyu, Im stealing u 4ever

Comet: No, she's mine, Mina! :P

Tape: Should we be worried?

Book: So long as no one tries to actually kidnap Tsuyu, I believe we can let it slide.

Midoriya raised an eyebrow; Yaoyorozu had paused for a significant amount of time before typing out Asui's first name. Addressing everyone that way would take some time to get used to.

All Might: Um, back on track…

Tape: We had a track at all?

All Might: I'm trying to build the track, but Mina seems to be conducting corporate sabotage.

_Did I really just type that? _Midoriya wondered, and then panicked, thinking that he had upset Ashido.

Crayon: Pfft! lol, gud one, Deku! Hey, wate, can I call u Deku, like Ochako does? Plz?

All Might: I guess so? You're not using it as an insult, so it's fine.

Glasses: I noticed that Bakugo kept calling you that, but Ochako also says it, and you have no problem. May I ask why?

Comet: Bakugo is a big jerk and calls him useless, but I thought it sounded like 'you can do it'. It's nicer than Bakugo's meaning.

Glasses: My word! How can Bakugo be so cruel?

Tape: Yeah, what the hell?

Crayon: ^

Frog: ^ ribbit.

Book: It is obvious that Bakugo has been less than pleasant to Izuku. However, it is good to see that you can take a positive spin on an insult. Good for you, Izuku.

All Might: … Thanks, everyone, but can we please drop it? I don't really want to talk about Bakugo, but if you all want to call me Deku, it's fine. None of you seem the type to use it to hurt me.

Crayon: on second thout, imma just call u Midori. Much more fun. Ochako can call u Deku, its cute wen she says it

Tape: Agreed. On the Ochako and Deku thing, I mean. I'm fine with Izuku here, if that's cool.

Glasses: I also agree wholeheartedly.

Book: ^

Frog: ^ ribbit.

Tape: OK, now you're just doing that on purpose!

Frog: I admit nothing…

Tape: Don't you dare!

Frog: Ribbit.

Tape: alrjopafhaehah

All Might: Is he okay?

Comet: I think Tsu just broke him.

Book: Well, when Hanta returns from… wherever his brain has gone, he can rejoin us. Izuku, aside from getting us all together, was there something you wanted to discuss?

All Might: I guess I just wanted to make sure we could all connect like this, maybe help each other out with homework, stuff like that?

Glasses: That is a wonderful idea! Maintaining a support network like this is also good practice for when we become Pros!

The conversation went on like that late into the night, but eventually, everyone said their goodbyes and left the chat. Midoriya was the last, and he fell asleep with a smile on his face.

…

The next morning, Midoriya met up with Iida and Uraraka outside the school, only to be nearly crushed by a mob of reporters that were laying siege to the gates.

"Are you three Hero students?" one reporter asked, shoving her microphone into Midoriya's face. "Have you had classes with All Might? What is he like?"

"ENOUGH!"

Reporters and students alike covered their ears as Present Mic used a fraction of his Quirk to get their attention.

"You all know the rules," the Hero said when the ringing stopped; his voice was now much friendlier. "The press isn't allowed to harass the students, or your networks are gonna get it from our legal team. Now go on, get outta here." The reporters grumbled, but retreated to a respectful distance. "Don't worry, Listeners, we figured the mob would show up sooner or later; come on inside and get to class."

"Thanks, Mic-sensei!" Uraraka bowed, and the boys followed suit.

Present Mic just grinned and patted Uraraka's head. "Don't mention it. Now, you three had better hurry, or Aizawa is gonna get annoyed."

Rather than risk their homeroom teacher's wrath, the three moved at just short of a run to make it to class. When they opened the 1-A door, they found the rest of 'UA's Rising Stars' sitting together, along with Jiro, who was on the other side of Yaoyorozu.

"Hey, guys," Sero greeted. "When you weren't here earlier, I thought the paparazzi had gotten you."

"They almost did," Uraraka said as she sat down. "Luckily, Present Mic was there to make them back off. It was kinda scary how they wouldn't leave us alone."

Midoriya nodded shakily; he wasn't used to friends being that close to him, let alone total strangers. "The press is usually more respectful of Heroes' personal space, but I guess All Might being here got them all riled up."

"The news must be slow or something," Sero said. "I mean, I know All Might is popular and all, but isn't him teaching kind of a boring topic?"

"Actually, they once spent three days talking about how his hair was two degrees lower than normal," Midoriya said. "When it comes to All Might, they'll take anything and make a huge deal of it."

The doors slid open at that moment, and Aizawa stalked inside. "That's something you all may risk if you become Pro Heroes. Thankfully, I'm an underground Hero, so I don't have to deal with any of that." He glanced at several of the students who weren't sitting down. "You'd all better be seated by the time I blink, or it's detention for all of you."

No one was willing to see if he was bluffing, so there was a rush of air as everyone jumped into their seats.

"Better. Now, All Might gave me a report of everything that happened during his class. For the most part, you all did well, or at least received valuable feedback. I expect to see marked improvements in the coming weeks, but if you don't take honest criticism to heart…" he paused and looked at Mineta, and then Bakugo. "I won't hesitate to expel you."

Mineta gulped and tried not to make eye contact with the man. Bakugo, who had refused to even look at Midoriya when he came in, scowled and said nothing.

"Since that's out of the way, there's one more thing you all need to take care of." Aizawa sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You need to decide on who's going to be Class President and Vice President."

The class immediately broke out in loud conversation, but then Iida stood up and raised his hand. "Everyone! Please calm down! Choosing our class' leaders should be a respectful and rational affair!" He waited until everyone stopped talking. "Now then, I believe we should pick our Class President and Vice President with a vote."

"Ribbit, isn't that going to be difficult?" Asui asked. "I mean, we've known each other for less than three days, so we don't really know who's qualified."

"Yes, but as first impressions are key to almost every interaction, I believe that anyone who has made a _good _impression will make for fine candidates." He turned to Aizawa. "Aizawa-sensei, is this acceptable?"

"Fine, so long as you leave me out of it." Aizawa pulled his sleeping bag out from under his desk and crawled inside. "I'm taking a nap."

With Iida leading things, everyone wrote down a name on a piece of paper and put them into a hat—created by Yaoyorozu—and Iida counted the names. Many people ended up voting for themselves, but two stood out with more than one vote—Yaoyorozu had four, and Midoriya had three.

"There we have it," Iida declared. "By the number of votes, Yaoyorozu-san is our Class President, and Midoriya-san is our Vice President!"

Most of the class gave polite applause—except for Bakugo, who just looked infuriated as usual—and the newly elected class leaders walked to the front of the room.

"This is certainly a surprise," Yaoyorozu said, her face colored by an embarrassed blush. "I wasn't expecting to be elected Class President, but I promise that I will give my all to lead Class 1-A to the best of my ability!"

"A-and I'll do my b-best to t-take some of the b-burden off of Yaoyorozu-san," Midoriya stammered.

Yaoyorozu smiled at him. "I'll be counting on you, Midoriya."

Midoriya only turned red-faced and nodded furiously.

"Well, that's surprising," Aizawa said from his spot on the floor. "I expected you all to take longer. I guess you can make the rest of the class a study period; just keep the noise down."

The students split off into smaller groups, though Midoriya's friends made up the largest.

"Congratulations, Yaomomo," Jiro said, and waved one of her jacks at Midoriya. "You too, Vice Prez."

Uraraka patted Midoriya on the back. "Yeah, congrats, Deku-kun! You and Yaomomo are gonna be awesome!"

Midoriya shrugged. "I'm not really sure what I'm even supposed to do…"

"It's like you said, Midoriya," Iida said, "your task will be to help Yaoyorozu bear the weight of her responsibility. If she is doing something on behalf of the class, you will assist her."

"Um, okay." Midoriya gave his usual wobbly smile to the tall girl. "Y-you can count on me… Yaomomo."

Yaoyorozu giggled. "I appreciate it."

"No offense, Yaomomo, but I kinda thought that you and Midoriya would switch spots," Sero admitted. "Everyone was super impressed by him yesterday."

"It was probably the stuttering," Midoriya muttered, mostly to himself. "Nobody wants someone nervous to be in charge. And Yaomomo is really cool…"

Yaoyorozu shook her head. "While I appreciate the compliment, you're being too hard on yourself. Just stop worrying about what other people think; take it from me, your harshest critic will always be yourself."

"Th-thanks."

Uraraka smiled at both of them, but on the inside, she was worried about Deku. She was no therapist, but she wasn't stupid; he had said that he'd thought he was Quirkless for most of his life, and she was aware of how Quirkless people were often treated. She had to wonder if UA was the first school he'd gone to where people didn't hate him for existing.

_That won't happen here, _she swore to herself. _You have friends, Deku-kun! You don't have to be so down on yourself!_

So, for his sake, she kept up her smile.

…

Nezu normally enjoyed his lunch; it was a time for quiet relaxation when he was alone, or easy conversation when he had company. What he did _not _enjoy was having that lunch interrupted, especially by an actual emergency.

He stared at the security feeds, his lunch forgotten; his gaze was focused on the gaping hole in the wall. The wall of _his _school.

Sitting around the table were the senior teachers, as well as All Might. Like Nezu, they were concerned and angry about what had happened—someone had turned a section of the outer wall to dust, and set off the level three alarms across the school.

"There were no reports of unauthorized personnel," Hound Dog said through his growls and yips. "Either the alarm scared them off…"

"Or they got what they wanted," Nezu finished. "Until we discover otherwise, we must assume the latter. Assure the students that everything is fine, but I want additional security for all classes. Eraserhead, can I ask you to bring in a few of your underground associates? If they can keep an eye on things from outside, I would appreciate it."

Aizawa looked as tired as ever, but his eyes were focused. "I have a few people I can call. They'll stay in civilian clothes; if the intruder is still around, they won't want to spook them."

"Thank you; in addition, I would like you and a few others to accompany Class 1-A to the USJ tomorrow, just in case."

Aizawa glanced at All Might, and then raised an eyebrow. "I'll ask the Big Three to help out; if there is a problem, we'll have plenty of muscle, but if there isn't, it can be a learning experience for my students."

"I see no problem with that," Nezu said affably. "It might be overkill, but better to be safe than sorry. If there are no other matters, you should all return to your classes; Aizawa, Thirteen, you have preparations to make."

The teachers stood and filed out of the room, but Nezu remained in his seat, staring intently at the image of his damaged wall.

"You've made a mistake," he said; his smile never left his face, but his tone was grim. "I can forgive many things, but I do _not _tolerate an attack on my school."

…

Aside from the panic at lunch, the day went by fairly normally for Class 1-A. Midoriya almost found his regular classes boring, though Ben spiced it up by providing a running commentary the entire time. After school, Midoriya had done his homework, and then spent some time messaging his friends in 'UA's Rising Stars'.

The next day was even less exciting, since there was no alarm. Everyone had become a little more enthusiastic when they were told to get into their costumes for their Heroics class.

"You know, the real Ben would have hated it here," Ben said they headed for the lockers to change into their costumes—the students weren't told why, which only increased the apprehension.

There were people around, so Midoriya couldn't verbally address Ben's comment; he settled for a raised eyebrow as he got changed.

"I mean, first of all, these classes are way harder than anything he had when he was your age," Ben went on. "And he barely passed those classes; heck, he probably would have failed the written part of the entrance exam. And he wouldn't have liked all the rules that come with being a Pro Hero; he probably would have become a Vigilante on principle." Ben shrugged. "I guess I'm just saying that you've got a better handle on life than he did."

Midoriya tried not to grin at the compliment, and instead pretended to look busy by cycling through his aliens.

"Hey, Midoriya!" Sero clapped him on the shoulder as he walked past. "Think you'll show us some transformations we haven't seen already?"

"Um, maybe?" Midoriya shrugged helplessly. "It's like Yaomomo said during the battle training—I need to use the forms that best suit the situation."

"Yeah, I hear you." Sero tucked his helmet under one arm. "I'm kinda jealous, dude; your Quirk lets you do so much, but I'm stuck with my tape."

"Your Quirk is awesome, Sero!" Midoriya quickly defended. "You can use it for mobility, trapping Villains, rescuing people, and even first aid! Plus, you've had years to figure out how to use your Quirk best, and I've had less than one year to learn the basics. And my watch is still sorting out my DNA, so I have to learn even more later!"

"God, just propose if you love his Quirk that much, loser," Bakugo grunted as he stalked past.

Sero just shook his head when the blonde boy left. "Man, I can't believe anyone can be friends with that jerk. Kirishima must be either really brave, or dumb."

"Wait, Kirishima-san is hanging out with Kac—I mean, Bakugo?" Midoriya blinked. "When did this happen?"

"I saw them at lunch, and they were talking." Sero paused and thought about it. "Actually, Kirishima was talking, Bakugo just looked grumpy."

Midoriya sighed; for a moment, he had thought that _Bakugo_ had tried to be _social_. Apparently, Kirishima was reaching out to him; Midoriya wished him luck, but he didn't see Bakugo turning into a social butterfly anytime soon.

"Anyway, do you have any idea what we're doing today?" Sero asked.

"I'm not sure," Midoriya said as they walked out of the locker room. "We did combat training; maybe they want us to improve on what we know and do it again?"

"That'll keep a lot of the class happy," Sero said. "I just hope we don't face the same teams again. Todoroki is way too strong."

"What's what about Todoroki-san?" Uraraka asked as she and the other girls met up with the boys.

"He's OP," Sero said, but sent a grin Todoroki's way to show he was just teasing, though he got no response.

Uraraka nodded, then looked down at herself and pouted. "I feel so weird right now."

Midoriya could understand why. Uraraka's bodysuit had been torn and her helmet had been almost destroyed; the former had been replaced by her gym uniform, and she was going without the latter. She still had her boots, wrist guards and armored collar, but the bright pink clashed horribly with the gym clothes, and she was stuck with that until the rest of her costume was repaired.

Iida bowed low. "My apologies once again for yesterday. I didn't mean to cause such harm, nor damage your costume."

Uraraka waved him off. "No big deal, Iida! I just expected you to only kick, so I wasn't watching out for punches. Now I know better."

Ashido patted Uraraka on the back. "See? Lesson learned. Now come on, or Aizawa-sensei will be mad at us again!"

To the class' surprise, they were directed to a bus outside, where Aizawa was waiting impatiently.

"We don't have all day, so get on the bus," he ordered. "Today, we're focusing on Rescue Training, and that means we're going on a field trip to a special part of UA."

While not met with as much enthusiasm as combat training, many of the students got excited. For some, like Midoriya, Uraraka, Sero and Asui, this was why they wanted to become Heroes—to save people.

For the rest, it was a chance to do something new, so everyone quickly got onto the bus. Iida tried to get everyone to sit in neat rows, until he saw that there was only one way everyone could sit. Asui patted his back consolingly as he sat down next to her.

"Ooh, I'm so excited!" Uraraka bounced in her seat next to Midoriya, who smiled back at her.

"I know, right? This is why I wanted to be a Hero in the first place!"

Bakugo scoffed. "All this rescue crap is for Heroes who just can't hack it fighting Villains."

Asui turned her blank gaze towards him. "But you lost during combat training, so what does that say about you, ribbit?"

"You shut your mouth, Frog," Bakugo snarled. "No one asked for your opinion!"

"Eh, I know _I _wouldn't want someone like Bakugo rescuing me," Kaminari said flippantly. "No one wants a rescuer with the personality of day-old dog crap."

"You wanna go, Sparky!?" Bakugo stood up, his glove popping with tiny explosions.

"Sit down," Aizawa said, his eyes glowing as he stared at the class. "Don't antagonize your classmates—consider that a warning. And Bakugo, I'm sure you haven't forgotten what I said on the first day of class, right?"

Bakugo threw himself back in his seat, while the rest of the class sat in more subdued silence. Still, after a few minutes, Uraraka nudged Midoriya and gave him another excited smile, which he returned.

"Keep up that smile," Ben said from inside the Ultimatrix. "Stay positive; today is going to be a good day."

…

The building the bus took them to was massive, almost as big as the rest of the campus, and if Uraraka hadn't tugged him along, Midoriya would have spent a while just staring in awe. Of course, as soon as they walked inside and saw who was waiting for them, it was Uraraka who had to be urged forward.

"Greetings," said the person in the poofy space suit. "Welcome to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, or USJ, for short! Here, you'll find simulations of every disaster scenario imaginable, including floods, ruins, fires, and more! I am Thirteen, and I'll be teaching you the basics of dealing with disasters—and today is extra special, because I have some assistants!" Thirteen gestured to the three older teenagers. "Please, introduce yourselves."

The first to step forward was a tall, muscular boy with short blonde hair. He wore a white costume that was accented by reds, blues, and greens; he had a long red cape, and the number one million on his chest in gold.

"Hey, there, freshmen!" The boy gave them a friendly smile that radiated confidence. "I'm Togata Mirio, but call me Mirio; everyone else does. Oh, but I'm in my costume, so you should call me by my Hero name: Lemillion!"

"Ooh, hey, everyone!" If Midoriya was being objective, the blue-haired girl that jumped forward was even prettier than Yaoyorozu. She wore a teal bodysuit with mint-green markings and yellow gloves; turquoise spirals ran up her legs, while thicker spirals that looked almost like gauntlets covered her wrists. Part of her hair was done up in spiral-like horns, though that didn't stop the rest from falling down to her knees.

"I'm Hado Nejire, and my Hero name is Nejire-chan!" She darted from one 1-A student to another, her words coming out in a rush. "Ohmygosh, you have a bird head! Does that mean you can fly like a bird? Hey, your hair has two colors, that's so awesome! Ooh, I love that ponytail, but I can't get my hair to do that, it's not fair! Aw, those ears on your hoodie are like my hair! I love it!"

Togata gently grabbed Hado's hand and pulled her back. "Sorry, she gets excited like that. I promise, she's harmless—unless you're a Villain, and then you're going to have one heck of a hospital bill!" He looked over his shoulder. "Come on over here and introduce yourself, Amajiki!"

The third student slouched as he walked over. He wore a black bodysuit that was covered in a white tunic, and a vest covered in purple pouches; he also wore a long white cloak with a hood that concealed his dark hair. His eyes were protected by a purple visor; Midoriya also noticed that he was barefoot.

"I'm Amajiki Tamaki," the boy mumbled, barely loud enough to be heard at all. "You can call me Suneater, I guess."

Aizawa nodded at the three older students. "These three are the top students at UA; it's not very creative, but it's why they're called the Big Three. Each of them will be graduating this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if they all had their own Hero Agencies within their first six months after graduation." He gave his class a stern look. "That's what _you _should all be aiming for—the very top." He glanced around, and then sighed. "All Might was supposed to join us, but since he's running late, we'll start without him."

The class groaned in disappointment, but Midoriya suspected why All Might wasn't there. During that fateful meeting on the rooftop, when he had discovered All Might's skinny form, the Hero had told him that he could only use his powers for up to about three hours every day. From the way Thirteen briefly held up three fingers, and Aizawa's annoyed grimace, All Might must have pushed himself too far today.

"Regardless, you all have much to learn," Thirteen said. "First of all, do any of you know who I am and what I do?"

For once, someone else beat Midoriya to the punch when it came to Hero trivia.

"Oh, I know!" Uraraka raised her hand and jumped in place. "You're the Space Hero: Thirteen! You use your Black Hole Quirk to rescue people trapped by disasters!"

Thirteen nodded. "That's true, I have used my Quirk to save many lives. However, my Quirk is still extremely dangerous; used incorrectly, I could kill the people I try to save." Thirteen's expression was concealed by the helmet, but Midoriya assumed they were all getting a somber look. "Never forget that many Quirks have the potential to hurt or even kill someone. When it comes to rescuing civilians, your self-control must be greater than ever. That's why you're all here—to learn to use your powers to _help _people. Thank you all for listening."

Aizawa nodded in approval; even the Big Three had listened to Thirteen with rapt attention. He was about to throw in his own piece of advice, but then something caught his eye at the bottom of the stairs behind Thirteen—a dark, swirling mass, out of which stepped dozens of people he didn't recognize. His instincts kicked in immediately, and he lowered his gold goggles over his eyes.

"Thirteen, get the students back! We're under attack by Villains!"

A vaguely humanoid shape, made of the same black mist, but with yellow eyes, stepped forward and looked up at the Heroes.

"Eraserhead and Thirteen, hmm? According to the schedule I received, All Might was supposed to be present; instead, there are three extra students."

Eraserhead scowled. "It looks like they were responsible for yesterday. They planned this."

Midoriya, and many other students, were starting to panic; today was only the fourth day of school, and _Villains _were attacking them!

"Easy," Ben said in Midoriya's ear. "Deep breaths. Stay calm. See if anyone can call for help."

Midoriya was often told to take a breath whenever he was about to be overwhelmed. As usual, the breathing techniques helped.

"There are a lot of them down there," he said, just loud enough to be heard. "Can anyone contact the rest of the school?"

"An excellent suggestion, Midoriya-san," Thirteen said, and pressed a button on their helmet. "Unfortunately, all I'm getting is static; they must be jamming communications. Since no alarms are going off, they must also have disabled those."

Midoriya took another breath. "Then someone needs to get outside and find help." Of course, as soon as he said that, the massive doors behind them suddenly closed. "First, we need to get the door open."

"None of you are going anywhere," said a new voice. It belonged to a young man with unhealthy skin. He wore black, almost casual clothing, though his arms and face were covered with what looked like severed hands; he also had two more clasped around his neck. Behind him was a hulking brute, with dark skin intersected with red scars, a bird-like head with lidless eyes and an exposed brain.

"No one leaves until I see All Might," the man said. "The League of Villains came all this way to kill the Symbol of Peace… maybe some dead kids will draw him out, huh? Some bosses only spawn once the mobs are killed." He nodded to himself, and then turned to the mist-Villain. "Kurogiri, let's start the game."

Eraserhead loosened his capture tool and ran down the stairs. "Lemillion, you're with me! Nejire-chan, Suneater, stay with Thirteen and protect the students!"

Without a word, the Big Three readied themselves—Nejire-chan gathered spiraling energy around her hands, while more spirals on her feet pushed her into the air. Suneater opened two of his pouches and tossed something into his mouth. A moment later, his hands became enormous tentacles, while his feet transformed into talons.

But it was Lemillion who surprised Midoriya the most; after a moment of concentration, the older boy was suddenly covered in crackling golden energy, and his veins glowed red. He pushed off from the ground, directly at the Villains, and practically vanished.

_He's so fast! _Midoriya blinked, and then Lemillion was ahead of Eraserhead, driving a fist into the first Villain he came across. _And he's strong—it's almost like looking at a less-powerful All Might!_

"You think you can defeat us?" The mist-Villain, Kurogiri, chuckled as he appeared in their midst from out of another portal. "Perhaps in a large group, but it will be far easier to pick you off if you're spread out. Unfortunately for you, we've already sent out teams of our own to welcome you to your deaths."

"Not if I stop you first!" Nejire-chan pointed her arms at the Villain and fired off two spirals of energy.

"How boring." Kurogiri barely glanced at the girl before opening two more portals; the first swallowed her attack, while the second, positioned over the class, sent it straight down.

"Look out!" Midoriya slammed down the Ultimatrix dial without thinking and jumped in the way of the blast. "HUMUNGOUSAUR!"

Now twelve feet tall, the brown-skinned dinosaur-like creature was one of Midoriya's favorites. He had gone through a costume change since the first time turning into him; he now wore black shorts, including a hole for his long tail, and a green bandolier that held the Ultimatrix dial.

He quickly brought up one arm to block the blast before it could hit Ashido and Shoji. Humungousaur winced in pain, but shook it off; he'd had worse from Bakugo. Besides, he now turned an angry gaze at Kurogiri.

"You are in _so _much trouble," he growled in a voice so deep that it shook bones.

"Only if you can touch me," Kurogiri countered. "For now… begone!"

Humungousaur's eyes widened, and he swept his arms out as gently as he could to push the other students away. "Get back!"

Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough; many of his classmates were snatched up by the portals, including himself. The last thing he heard before the darkness claimed him was a familiar, panicked voice.

"DEKU-KUN!"

…

Uraraka glared at Kurogiri; she didn't normally get angry, but this Villain had just sent many of her friends to who-knew-where.

"Where did you send them!?" she demanded.

"I already told you, there are many of my associates who are waiting to get their hands on would-be Heroes." Kurogiri shrugged. "I would have preferred to get all of you, but such is life."

"Too bad for you," Thirteen said, stepping between the younger students and the Villain. "Class 1-A, as one of your instructors, I am giving you the following order: you must get the door open, so that Iida-san can get help. Your seniors and I will hold off this one."

Uraraka glanced at who was left; only she, Ashido, Iida, Shoji and Sero had avoided capture.

_Deku-kun probably kept us safe, _she thought. _I can't let what he did be for nothing!_

"Mina," she said quietly, "can you melt the door? Or at least make a hole big enough for Iida?"

Ashido looked at the door in question. "Yeah, but it'll take a minute, even with my most corrosive acid." She grimaced. "And doing that can hurt even _me _if I'm not careful."

"Then we'll make sure you don't lose your concentration," Uraraka said. "Iida, watch her back; the rest of us will keep you two covered. As soon as you get an opening, you run and you don't stop until you find help, okay?"

Iida hesitated, likely because he didn't want to leave his classmates, but ultimately, he nodded. "I will; I promise."

"As if I'd let you," Kurogiri said, only to be blocked by Thirteen and two-thirds of the Big Three. "Please, you already know that I can send back anything you throw at me."

"I guess we'll just have to try harder," Nejire-chan said with a playful smile, and her hands glowed with charging power.

"I'll just send it right back," Kurogiri said, and created another portal in front of him. Of course, with his vision blocked, he didn't see the giant tentacle until it crashed into his side—specifically, it hit the metal brace around his neck. "Gah! What!?"

"Ha! Made you look!" Nejire-chan smiled at her friend. "Nice work, Suneater!"

Despite his success, Suneater looked like he was about to panic. "That move won't work twice; we need to get rid of those portals!"

"I'm on it," Thirteen said, and raised a pointer finger at the Villain; the cap at the end of the glove popped off, and the world's most powerful vacuum switched on. The black mist was sucked up, and the air seemed to get a bit less stifling. "We've got you covered, students! Go!"

Ashido nodded grimly, and then placed her palms on the door; acid gathered around her hands, and immediately ate away at the material. However, Ashido's hands began to burn and blister after only about a minute of her maximum corrosion.

"Yeah, this kinda sucks," she said through gritted teeth, "but I think it'll only take a few more minutes."

Shoji had turned one of his hands into an eye to watch her, and that eye narrowed in concern. "Ashido-san, are you sure you can do this?"

"Uh-huh," she spat out. "I've got some immunity to my acid; if I didn't, I wouldn't have hands anymore. I'll have some bad burns when this is over, but I've given myself worse by accident."

True enough, though her pink skin turned red and raw, there was a hole leading to the outside after only a few minutes. It would be a tight fit, but Iida was ready.

"I'll be back soon!" he shouted over the roar of his engines. "Engine Boost!"

"No!" Kurogiri tried to stop him, but a wave of tape and tentacles blocked his path. "Curses!"

Uraraka pumped a fist in triumph. _Go, Iida! I believe in you! _She glanced worriedly at the rest of the USJ. _I just have to believe in everyone else, too._

…

The first thing Humungousaur saw when he emerged from the portal was water; at first, he thought Kurogiri had sent him to the ocean, but the he saw the inside of the USJ dome, and realized that he hadn't been sent very far.

Then he hit the water, sending a huge geyser upwards. The impact didn't do much to his thick hide, but Humungousaur had sunk pretty far under the water, and he wasn't suited for this kind of terrain. More importantly, he saw a familiar purple figure in the water with him, surrounded by several Villains with water-based Quirks.

He slapped the dial once more; when the green light faded, he was now a tall fish-creature with webbed claws, huge jaws and teeth, and a lure that curled over his head. The Ultimatrix dial was set on a piece of armor on his shoulder, the only clothes he had. His legs sealed together to form a fish's tail, and he glared at the underwater Villains.

"RIPJAWS!" He swam at incredible speeds, and drove his fist into the face of a Villain before he could get his hands on Mineta. That arm still hurt from when he'd blocked Nejire-chan's Quirk, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

The small boy panicked when Ripjaws turned to face him, but then he noticed the familiar dial and smiled. Unfortunately, he accidentally let in some water, and he began to drown. Ripjaws reached out to grab him, but another Villain tackled him from the side; for a moment, Ripjaws panicked, unsure of how to get past the Villain before Mineta drowned.

Thankfully, he didn't have to think long; a familiar tongue wrapped around Mineta, and the tongue's owner gave Ripjaws a thumbs-up as she swam to the boat that floated at the surface.

_Thanks, Tsuyu, _Ripjaws thought, and then slashed his attacker across the chest to drive him back. He then quickly swam after his classmates, who were already on the boat.

"What is happening right now!?" Mineta screamed, once he'd finished coughing. "Villains are attacking us! _Villains_! This is only our fourth day of school, I didn't think we'd have to deal with this so soon! We're gonna die! I'm gonna die, and I'll never see Yaoyorozu naked!"

Asui grimaced. "I can't believe I touched you with my tongue."

"You did what Heroes do, Asu—I mean, Tsuyu," Ripjaws said in his deep, raspy voice as he pulled himself aboard, and his tail split back into legs. "Great work."

"Thanks." Asui scooted back to put Ripjaws between herself and Mineta. "I still want mouthwash, ribbit."

High on adrenaline, Ripjaws almost made a joke at Mineta's expense; instead, he started gasping.

Asui was immediately at his side. "Midoriya, are you okay?"

Instead of immediately answering, Ripjaws slapped the Ultimatrix dial and turned into Swampfire, and then took a long breath of air. "S-sorry… I can't breathe out of water when I'm Ripjaws."

"Oh, okay." Asui looked out over the water, where the Villains circled like hungry sharks. "What do we do now, ribbit?"

Swampfire rubbed his arm as it healed. "I'm working on that."

…

"What did you say!?" Jiro shouted over the sound of fighting.

"I said that I'm working on a plan!" Yaoyorozu yelled back as she ducked under a Villain's outstretched hand. That hand was soon broken after a few well-placed blows, and its owner reeled back in pain.

Kaminari tackled another Villain to the ground and delivered a jolt of electricity to his head. "Damn, Yaomomo, where did you learn to do that?"

"It's a long story!"

Actually, it was rather simple—Yaoyorozu was a rich, pretty girl, and as such, she knew that she would have to defend herself, especially if she wanted to be a Hero. Thankfully, her parents were very understanding, and had hired some of the best self-defense instructors available to teach her. That had been three years ago, and she was more than capable of handling thugs like these.

Skilled as she was, she still couldn't see in every direction, so she was taken by surprise when another Villain slammed her into a boulder. One hand was wrapped around her throat, while the other transformed into a serrated hook.

"You ain't gonna look so pretty after I'm done," the Villain said with a leer, made all the more unpleasant by an abnormally long tongue. That tongue reached out for her ear, only for it to be pierced by a long needle that emerged from Yaoyorozu's cheek.

The Villain's scream was particularly loud, but it was cut off when Yaoyorozu created a metal fist on a spring-loaded mechanism that burst from her stomach and into his diaphragm. He let go and fell to the ground with a wheeze. Just for good measure, she created a metal staff from her arm and drove it between the Villain's eyes.

"There's too many of them!" Jiro shouted. "We need a way to take out all these losers!"

"I can do that!" Kaminari replied. "But I'll zap you two if I do!"

Yaoyorozu took stock of the situation—she, Jiro and Kaminari were unharmed, barring a few scrapes and bruises, while over a dozen Villains were unconscious on the ground. Unfortunately, for every one they took down, two more took their place.

_Jiro seems fine, as does Kaminari, _Yaoyorozu thought. _My stores of lipids are a little low. My costume is a bit torn at the center; I really should ask the Support Department if they can make something better—focus, Momo! How can Kaminari use his Quirk without hurting Jiro and I? Oh, I know!_

"Jiro-chan, get over here!" Yaoyorozu fell to her hands and knees, focusing her Quirk on her back. A moment later, a thick blanket burst out, shredding her costume and draining her lipids, but it was worth it as she dragged Jiro underneath the blanket with her. "This is a sheet of insulation, Kaminari! We'll be fine, hit them with everything you've got!"

Kaminari grinned at the Villains, while thick bolts of electricity sparked wildly around him. "Badass. Okay, you bastards, take this! INDISCRIMINATE SHOCK: ONE-POINT-THREE MILLION VOLTS!"

There was a bright flash of light and the smell of ozone, but when Yaoyorozu's vision cleared, all of the Villains were down. "Excellently done!"

"Uh, Yaomomo?" Jiro blushed as she pointed at her—more specifically, at the scraps of cloth that did nothing to preserve Yaoyorozu's dignity.

Yaoyorozu sighed. "Do you think you can check on Kaminari-san while I make some new clothes?"

"Yeah, okay." Jiro crawled out from under the blanket. "Hey, stupid! Did you fry your brain, or—hey! Don't you dare look over there!"

Yaoyorozu chuckled as she shed the remains of her old costume and created a new one. _As useful as he would have been, I'm glad that Midoriya isn't here right now. He can barely look me in the eye—seeing me like this probably would have killed him._

Thinking about her friend quickly sobered her mood. _I hope he's okay. I hope _everyone_ is okay._

…

"Okay, I have a plan," Swampfire said. "It shouldn't take too long to pull off, either."

"That's good," Asui said, then glanced over her shoulder. "Does it involve _him_, ribbit?"

Swampfire looked sympathetically back at Mineta; the boy was pressed into a corner as far as he could go, trembling and muttering denials. He was on the verge of complete panic, if he hadn't crossed that threshold already.

"No, but we do need to get him out of there." Swampfire shrugged apologetically. "You're going to have to pick him up, though."

Asui's only sign of reluctance was a small sigh. "Okay, but you owe me mouthwash."

"Deal." Despite the danger they were in, Swampfire shared a smile with the girl. "Anyway, the plan is simple—on my signal, you're going to take Mineta and jump for the shallow end of the Shipwreck Zone. You'll need to stay in the air as long as possible, just in case, so you'll need to make a pretty high jump."

"No problem, ribbit." Asui started to trace an arc, starting from the deck of the ship. "I've got the proportional strength of any frog, and that includes the best jumpers. I could probably stay in the air for about eight seconds at my best."

Swampfire glanced at Ben, who had been silently observing; the hologram flickered as he ran some calculations, and then nodded to confirm his idea.

"That should be more than enough time," he said. "Just give me a second to change."

Asui raised an eyebrow. "Should I turn around?"

"Wha—seriously?"

"Sorry, smart comments help me stay calm, ribbit."

Swampfire couldn't help but chuckle. _How does she say stuff like that with a straight face? I hope she never plays poker or something._

"All right, grab Mineta and get ready to go. As soon as the Villains see the light, they'll know something is up." Swampfire slapped the dial on his chest and vanished in a flash of green.

"SHOCKSQUATCH!"

This new alien was tall and muscular, and mostly covered in yellow hair, though the hair around his head, wrists and feet was black. He had what looked like metal studs coming out of his wrists, and three horns on his brow that looked like lightning bolts. He wore a pair of green pants, with the Ultimatrix dial acting as the buckle for his belt.

"Good luck, Midoriya!" Asui called, and then wrapped her tongue around Mineta. "Come on, you."

With an impressive jump, Asui carried the screaming boy high into the air. As soon as her feet left the deck, Shocksquatch grabbed the nearest railing—a _metal _railing—and waved at the Villains.

"You guys are in for a shock, eh?" Shocksquatch grinned as his hair crackled with electricity, and then sent all that power through the boat. A moment later, everything in the water was fried by obscene amounts of electricity. The Villains floated to the surface, their bodies blackened by electrical burns.

"Hey, you used a pun!" Ben grinned at him. "I mean, it wasn't anything original, but it _was _a classic. The real Ben probably would have approved."

"Thanks," Shocksquatch grunted. "Hey, you said this one could jump far, right?"

"Not as far as Asui, but yeah." Ben raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't do that, though; Shocksquatch gets shorted out in water."

"Oh. Good to know, eh?" Shocksquatch leaped off the ship as far as his powerful legs could carry him, and then tapped the dial on his belt, just before he hit the water.

"DIAMONDHEAD!"

…

"I hope Midoriya is okay," Asui commented as she and Mineta swam for shore.

"Are you kidding!? He went up against real Villains by himself! He's dead, and all he did was buy us a few minutes!" It was hard to tell if the water in Mineta's eyes was tears, or just from splashes.

Asui glanced back. "I think you should turn around and find out for yourself, ribbit."

"No way!" Mineta shouted, flailing his fists wildly. "If I turn around, I'll be a sitting duck for those Villains, I just know it!"

"Do I really look like a Villain to you?" This new voice was a fine bass, but since Mineta had never heard it before, he opened his mouth to scream. Thankfully for Asui's ears, a light-green crystalline hand covered the boy's mouth. "Please, don't do that, we're trying to be sneaky."

Trembling, Mineta turned and saw the large humanoid figure holding him. He was a good deal taller than Asui, so he was able to stand in the shallower water, while his head and shoulders were still clear. Most of his body was covered by a dark-blue bodysuit, but his large arms were exposed, as was his craggy head; if his arms and head were any indication, his entire body seemed to be made of living diamond. He also had two large spikes of the same material poking out from his shoulder blades, and on his chest was the same hourglass dial.

"Midoriya?" Mineta asked, his voice muffled until the hand was removed from his face. "You're alive? How!? And what does this one do?"

"In order—yes, I electrocuted the Villains with Shocksquatch, and I call this one Diamondhead; I'm really tough, and can do some cool stuff with crystals."

"… Oh."

Asui tapped a forefinger against her chin. "You know, we could have gotten the same effect with Kaminari; all we'd have to do is push him into the water."

Diamondhead nodded. "We should probably tell him that, and he can turn into an expert against water-based Villains."

"How. Are you two. So. Calm?" Mineta demanded. "We're students, for crying out loud! We shouldn't have to deal with this crap _in our first week of school_! Why aren't you freaking out!?"

Asui and Diamondhead shared a look, and then the former spoke. "I guess I just know there's no point in panicking."

Diamondhead shrugged. "I'm pretty sure if I start panicking, I won't be able to stop." He sighed. "I'll freak out when we're not in danger."

Mineta shook his head. "You two are freaks. Let's just get out of here and—hmmph!"

Diamondhead shut him up with a hand over his mouth again. "Shh! Do you hear that?"

Asui cupped a hand around her ear. "Sounds like fighting, ribbit."

"Yeah. Come on, let's go check it out." When Mineta started thrashing in his arms, Diamondhead gave him a stern look. "We're not going to fight if we don't have to, but if it's some of our class, we need to help them. If we don't need to get involved, we'll just sneak around and head back to the entrance."

After a moment, Mineta reluctantly nodded. The three crept up to the rocky perimeter of the Shipwreck Zone, and beheld a pile of defeated Villains. Most of them were moaning in pain, while others were obviously knocked out—a few, though, were unnaturally still.

Asui pointed at those particular bodies; though her expression remained unchanged, she'd gone a few shades paler.

"There's…" Diamondhead took a deep breath. "There's a reason underground Heroes don't get much media attention. They're the ones more likely to be in a situation where they might have to kill someone."

"Does that mean that Eraserhead is nearby?" Asui asked; she didn't voice the possibility that one of their classmates had taken lives.

There was a loud grunt, and then a familiar figure hurtled past. He was battered and broken, but there was no mistaking Eraserhead as he fell to a crumpled heap.

"Not bad, Eraserhead," the Villain with the hands said as he stepped over the bodies of his henchmen. "It took me longer than I'd like to figure out your combos; the devs must have put some extra work into your speed, because it was hard to track. Then again, you do work better with a party, and I had to divide my pawns to handle that blonde kid—both of you are definitely miniboss material, but unfortunately for you, you're up against two specced-out players."

He paused as he walked over to Eraserhead, and slowly turned to face the three students. "You know, I love using aggro-moves on enemies with only a few HP left. It adds a bit of drama to the system. So, how would you like to watch your precious students crumble away to dust?"

_Crumble to dust? _Diamondhead's eyes went wide. _Was he the one who destroyed part of the wall yesterday?_

With a quick jump, the Villain was upon them, and his hand reached out… for Asui's face.

"No!" Diamondhead put his arm out, and the Villain's hand grabbed him instead of Asui. "Get away from her!"

"Taking damage for a weaker party member isn't a bad strategy for a tank," the Villain said. "Too bad my Quirk bypasses all defenses!"

To Diamondhead's horror, the outer edge of his arm began to crumble away; he didn't feel the pain, but he also didn't want to find out how much damage he could take. Thinking quickly, he aimed his other arm at the Villain; his hand shifted into what looked like an oversized meat tenderizer, and then fired a burst of crystal shards at him.

The Villain's reaction time was incredible; only a few shards struck him in the arm before he pulled back. As soon as he let go of Diamondhead's arm, the decay halted.

"You're not getting away," Diamondhead growled, even as his damaged arm began to reform. "Asui, Mineta—get Eraserhead out of here! I'll cover you!"

Rather than argue, Asui jumped past and grabbed Eraserhead with her tongue; Mineta was right behind her, and did his best to hold up his teacher's legs so that he wasn't dragged.

"Well, that's annoying," the Villain said. "I only took a little damage to my temporary HP from Eraserhead, but you actually hurt me. I guess you can help Nomu build up some combo points for his fight with All Might." He tilted his head up and raised his voice. "Nomu! Ignore the blonde brat and get over here!"

There was a roar from behind Diamondhead; he turned, and saw the brute from before—Nomu, he assumed—charging straight at him. Running behind the monster was Lemillion; the third-year looked unharmed, but even his incredible speed was no match for Nomu's.

"Freshman, get out of here!" Lemillion cried. "He's too strong!"

With nowhere to run, Diamondhead just braced himself.

_So much for today being a good day._

**Hey, I finally have a chapter that ends on a cliffhanger! I know that I could have included more of the fighting, but I didn't want this chapter to be too long. If I didn't give focus to certain characters, it's because they didn't do anything different from canon. Same thing with the alert that happened in the cafeteria; I'm just assuming that everything went the same in canon, and I didn't feel like repeating it. You'll notice, however, that each member of 'UA's Rising Stars' got to do something. I guess it shouldn't surprise you to know that this is now Midoriya's core group of friends. He may get one or two more, but these seven are my favorites.**

**I do have a couple of points to address, though:**

**First, I actually don't know if Ashido is completely immune to her own acid—she has to have **_**some **_**immunity, or she'd be dead. However, I'm going to just say that she **_**can **_**crank up the power of her acid, it just isn't fun. Still, even her regular acid is powerful enough to melt metal and rock pretty quick, though the USJ doors are pretty freaking big. Don't worry, she's not going to be like canon Midoriya and destroy herself to pull off a really big move.**

**Second, I can't remember if Yaomomo (so much easier to type than her full name) can make things from her face or not. She seems able to make things from anywhere else, so why not? Also, the idea that she already knows how to fight well just makes sense, considering her background. Another thing that bothered me (and I changed) was how long it took her to make that insulated sheet. It takes her about ten seconds to make a fully functional **_**cannon**_**, including ammunition. A reverse electric blanket should take no time at all. Another point I want to make is that, yes, I plan on giving her an outfit that doesn't require so much fanservice. She strikes me as the type who only deals with her costume because her Quirk demands it, but would jump at the chance for something better. Maybe a certain pink-haired inventor could help? Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe said inventor could help poor Hagakure, too.**

**Now, I have no idea if Aizawa has ever actually killed someone, but in my headcanon, Heroes are like police officers; they don't kill unless they have no other choice. And combat can be hard to manage at the best of times, so a mistimed blow might snap a neck instead of knock someone out. Now, Heroes have some leeway in this world, since they work for the government—unlike in, say, DC, where the Justice League really shouldn't take that kind of justice into its own hands, since they're all vigilantes. Again, in my headcanon, underground Heroes are those who have to dirty their hands a bit, and since the government doesn't want to showcase the darker side of being a Hero in the MHA world, Heroes like Eraserhead have to stay out of the spotlight. Also, Snipe uses **_**guns**_**; don't tell me he hasn't shot someone in the head.**

**Also, I know I was mean to Mineta in this chapter, but I'll be honest, I hate him as much as Bakugo, just for different reasons. In canon, he was the only student who acted cowardly in this arc—even pacifist Koda didn't freak out so much. More than that, he's about two steps away from being a sexual predator. If someone like Bakugo isn't going to be let off the hook in this story—and he's at least kept himself under control so far—Mineta is toast. **

**Before anyone gets mad that Shigaraki's Quirk worked on Diamondhead, his powers are specifically stated to be able to destroy **_**any **_**matter, organic or otherwise. It wouldn't work against anything energy-based, but anything solid is SOL.**

**Anyway, yeah, this chapter was an end-of-the-year present for you all. I don't plan on writing anything else until next year, but if you want something with more meat to it to read, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. You can find it on Amazon, or my website (link in my profile).**

**I would also be super appreciative if you considered donating to my P-atreon page (also a link in my profile). Doing so would not only keep me from living on the street (a very real concern right now), but it would also let me write more fan fiction. I've only been pumping out chapters because it's the holiday season, but that's going to end very soon.**

**And now, I'd like to thank the following Muffins:**

**Serious Muffins: ****CrazySith87, jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Krisjanis Jansons, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, Alexis Troy, John Collins, Calleo, Casey Pak, Red Bard, Ultimatrix10**

**Incredible Muffins: ****RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844, Jaeger456, killroy225, Brian McGloughlin**

**Ultra Muffins: ****Adam Costello, Jeffrey Perigo, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Midoriya faces a true monster, but what does he have in his arsenal that can fight Nomu?**

**Happy Holidays!**

**It's Muffin Time!**


	6. Explosions and Fallout

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. SO, IT TURNS OUT THAT I CAN'T CONTROL ANIMALS WITH MY VOICE… OR MY DOG IS DEAF. EITHER WAY, ANOTHER FAILED EXPERIMENT.**

**Here's a true test, Midoriya. Show everyone what you can do! We're kicking off 2020 with a bang!**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 6

Explosions and Fallout

If Togata Mirio could be summed up in a word, it would be 'earnest'; if a second word was allowed, it would probably be 'humble'. He wasn't someone who boasted about his own abilities; if anything, he downplayed what he could do, because he considered so many other people, students and Heroes alike, to be better than him.

When All Might chose him as his successor, Togata had tried to refuse; he was positive that someone was a better fit, and had rattled off a dozen names, just to prove a point. But All Might didn't back down, and showed him a long list of the student's achievements as an intern. It didn't escape Togata's notice that that list had been provided by Sir Nighteye.

"You've done more with your natural abilities in your first two years at UA than I did with my inherited power," All Might had said. "You're strong, you've got a good head, and most importantly, you have a good heart. Believe me, if I didn't think you were worthy, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Togata could admit that his heart had swelled with pride—though the moment was ruined when All Might suddenly reverted back to his skinny form and spat out an alarming amount of blood.

When confronted with All Might's fading health, Togata reluctantly accepted the power of One For All. That had been several months ago, and he was now starting to get a handle on his increased strength.

At least, he thought he had, but the limited amount of power he could use was barely enough to catch Nomu's attention; the best he'd been able to do was distract him so that he didn't smash Eraserhead's face into the ground. His best punches had done nothing, even when he pulled a risky move and tried hitting the monster's exposed brain. At least he had been able to avoid injury in return—as powerful as Nomu was, all Lemillion had to do was use his natural Quirk, Permeation. Neither fighter could hurt the other, but as Nomu responded to his master's summons, Lemillion couldn't stop him, either.

_Maybe I can at least get Midoriya out of there, _he thought as he channeled all the power he could safely manage so that he could increase his speed. Unfortunately, Nomu was even faster—if that Shigaraki guy was telling the truth, then Nomu was capable of fighting a fully-powered All Might.

He tried to get Midoriya—because who else could that crystal guy be?—to get out of the way. Instead, Midoriya placed his hands on the ground; a moment later, huge spikes of crystal formed a barricade between him and the charging Nomu. If Midoriya had thought his barrier would dissuade Nomu, he was mistaken; the monster's momentum was only halted when the sharp spikes pierced deep into his body.

Lemillion winced; causing those kinds of injuries could give even experienced Heroes some trauma, let alone a first-year student. Still, it looked like Nomu had caused his own defeat, so—

"Not bad," Shigaraki said calmly, as if his trump card hadn't just been impaled. "If that was anyone else, they'd be crippled, or even killed. Too bad for you, Nomu is no ordinary Villain."

Without a word escaping the monster's mouth, Nomu pulled himself free of the spikes; as Lemillion watched in horrified fascination, torn organs and muscles knitted back together, and skin quickly grew over that. In seconds, Nomu looked like he had never been injured at all.

"Well, that's a problem," Lemillion said as he dashed over to Midoriya.

"Yeah, I know." It was strange seeing a man made of diamond take a deep breath like a nervous schoolchild, but that was what happened. "From what I can tell, he's got super-speed, some kind of shock absorption, and rapid regeneration."

"And crazy strength," Lemillion added, while keeping one eye on Shigaraki. "I'd say he has multiple Quirks, which is impossible, but look at you."

"Oh, but he _does _have multiple Quirks!" Shigaraki laughed. "He was designed to be the perfect counter to All Might: the Anti-Symbol of Peace!" Lemillion and Midoriya tensed as a black portal opened up next to Nomu, and Kurogiri stepped out. "Where have _you_ been?"

"My apologies, Shigaraki Tomura, but I was waylaid by several students, as well as Thirteen, at the entrance." Kurogiri looked unharmed, though the metal collar he wore was scratched and dented. "They were able to help one of their own escape, and going by how fast he could move, I believe that the Heroes will arrive soon. We should withdraw."

"You want to run away?" Shigaraki scoffed as he made his way over to his allies. "We haven't even cleared the minibosses yet, much less All Might. These small-fries might be able to handle the pawns, but they're no match for overleveled players like us, especially Nomu."

"Man, this guy is cocky," Lemillion said, and then glanced at Midoriya. "I don't think we can get away without a fight."

"Then I guess we _have _to fight." Midoriya's hands tightened into fists. "I have an idea, but it's risky, and it's not foolproof, but it's all I have right now."

"I'm all ears," Lemillion said. "Hitting them doesn't seem to work, so if you've got another option…"

"I do—the problem is, I can _only _do this alone."

"Well, I'm not leaving my junior behind," Lemillion said; his voice brooked no disagreement. "You'll have to come up with another plan."

"Are you two done talking?" Shigaraki asked. "I've been playing nice so far, but your strategy meeting is going a little long. Nomu, get their attention."

Nomu took a step forward, but then froze—literally, as ice crept up his legs. A moment later, huge explosions bombarded the area.

"I told you to stay out of my way, Icy-Hot! I can handle these weaklings on my own!"

"I didn't hear any complaining when I helped you earlier."

"Because I was busy beating the crap out of some punk who tried to jump me!"

Lemillion scratched his head, bemused, as Bakugo and Todoroki stepped into view; neither looked injured, but the arguing was almost comical. Behind them, Kirishima didn't seem to think so.

"Come on, guys, you can argue when we're not fighting Villains. Oh, hey, Midoriya! That's a new one!"

"Uh, yeah, I call this one 'Diamondhead'."

"I like it!" Kirishima straightened when he saw the older student. "Lemillion! Are you okay?"

"I'm good, don't worry." Lemillion turned back to face the Villains. "These guys are going to be a problem."

"Not if this works," Diamondhead said. "You wanted me to come up with another plan, Lemillion? Well, I think I can now make the first one work."

He then slapped the dial on his chest. Once the green light faded, Lemillion saw a tall figure that seemed to be made of living magma. His oversized hands glowed almost white-hot, while fire burned around his head. "HEATBLAST!"

Lemillion put a few more feet between him and Midoriya's new form; even at this distance, he'd started to sweat from the heat.

Shigaraki stared, wide-eyed as he saw what happened. "That's not possible! Did he just go from tank to DPS? He can swap specializations, _and _elemental bonuses? _Nobody _naturally has that kind of variety in Quirks! That's just… that's not _fair_!"

Lemillion almost laughed as Shigaraki ranted; if it weren't for his deadly Quirk, he'd have a hard time believing that the man wasn't all talk. Still, Lemillion dragged his attention back to Midoriya, who had turned to the other students.

"Todoroki-san," Heatblast said in a low, gravelly voice, "I have an idea, but I need your help to make it work. That big guy might actually be a match for _All Might _in terms of pure physical power."

Todoroki kept his surprise limited to wider eyes. "But you have a plan to stop him?"

"Yeah, it's pretty simple, actually—you put a wall of ice between you all and me, and you don't stop making that ice until I'm done."

"No way, Midoriya!" Kirishima looked nervous, but he didn't back down. "We can't let you fight that freak on your own!"

"You're going to have to," Heatblast said grimly, "because I can't be sure this move won't kill you guys by mistake!"

…

"You're not planning what I think you're planning, are you?"

"You're going to have to," Heatblast said, ignoring Ben for the moment, "because I can't be sure this move won't kill you guys by mistake!"

"Oh my god, you _are_." Ben wasn't visible at the moment, but his disapproval was obvious. "This is a _bad _idea, Izuku. If you get this wrong, even a little, you could kill everyone within a square mile of this place."

Heatblast responded by way of aiming his hands at Nomu.

Ben sighed. "All right, if you're really sure; I'll monitor your output and make sure you don't fry the entire school, okay? You've had a lot of back-to-back transformations; between that, and the power you're planning on using, you've got maybe five minutes left. Good luck."

"Todoroki," Heatblast said, "now!"

Todoroki either thought his classmate knew what he was doing, or otherwise didn't have a better idea, because he stomped down with his right foot, and a massive wall of ice separated Heatblast from the other students. He just hoped that it was enough.

"Deku!" Bakugo shouted. "You think you're really tough enough to fight a guy meant to fight All Might!? You're such an idiot! If you die to this freak, I'm killing you myself!"

Ben chuckled, a little disbelieving. "If I didn't know better, I'd say he almost sounded worried."

_Somehow, I doubt it, _Heatblast thought. _No time to think about it now, though._

"All right, Villains," he said out loud, "time to see if you're just all talk."

Shigaraki rolled his eyes. "Cocky little punk, aren't you? I don't care who you are, or that you have multiple Quirks, you're not on All Might's level, which means you aren't on Nomu's. You'll be dead in a second anyway, so I don't even care that your Quirk is weird."

Heatblast gave the best smile he could manage. "Then come get me."

"Nomu, kill him."

Nomu stalked towards Heatblast, who unleashed two columns of fire from his hands that splashed against the monster's chest. The skin turned crispy and burned off, only for it to grow back just as quickly.

"Did you forget that he could regenerate?" Shigaraki mocked.

"No, I didn't, but I'm just getting warmed up!"

"Two puns!" Ben laughed. "You're on a roll today!"

_I've seen regeneration Quirks before, and I've read papers on them, _Heatblast thought. _They take a toll on the body, just like Recovery Girl's Quirk. Quirks are biological functions, which means that there's a limit to how much energy they can expend before shutting down. I have to force this guy to heal so much that he exhausts himself!_

And so, Heatblast increased the firepower he was using; slowly at first, then faster and faster, until the heat burned away the oxygen around him in a screaming hiss. The pressure from the intense blaze slowed Nomu's progress, but he wasn't stopping—therefore, neither could Heatblast.

Ben had taught Midoriya about this move, but only the theory of it; it was incredibly dangerous, and they had nowhere to safely practice. Still, Midoriya had an instinctive handle on at least the basics of his aliens' powers, and his mind was sharp enough to put theory into practice.

_More heat, _he thought fiercely, _more fire! Come on, push yourself to the limit of what you can safely do!_

The fires around Heatblast had long stopped being a reddish-orange; now, they were a blinding white, but he still kept going.

…

Todoroki wanted to just stop and stare; he knew fire-based Quirks better than most, but he'd never seen anyone use that much power and not kill themselves. Not even Endeavor had ever pulled off a move like that, and Midoriya was using even more.

"Guys, I think we're about to be busy!" Todoroki glanced over his shoulder at Kirishima's shout; some of the Villains that Eraserhead and Lemillion had beaten were starting to get back up, and more who hadn't fought were charging towards them as well.

Bakugo, who had been glaring at Midoriya this whole time, gritted his teeth. "Fuck! Fine, we'll take care of these weaklings. Icy-Hot, keep up that shitty wall so that that idiot Deku doesn't roast us."

Kirishima charged first, while Bakugo flew overhead to start the fight. Before he left, Lemillion gave Todoroki a thumbs-up.

"Good work, freshman; just keep an eye on Midoriya, okay? We'll cover you."

Todoroki nodded, and then turned back to Midoriya's fight. He still refused to break his oath, to use his fire in combat, but today, he had a workaround. Normally, he could only use so much ice before he suffered frostbite; he avoided that by ending fights as quickly as possible, and then used his fire to warm himself up. However, the heat Midoriya was putting out was so intense that it was melting his ice as quickly as he could make it; theoretically, he could keep this up almost indefinitely.

"Be careful, Midoriya," he whispered. "I don't know what your limit is in that form, but I think you're reaching it."

…

"Let's see how you handle this!" Heatblast shouted as he pushed past what he considered completely safe, and unleashed a true firestorm.

"NOVA… FLAAARE!"

There was a primordial roar as a fraction of a supernova was channeled in a straight line. The light was blinding, and when it faded, Heatblast fell to his knees; his fires had dimmed, and he was panting heavily. He looked up to view his handiwork, and was shocked.

Starting at where he stood, a huge furrow had been carved into the ground, all the way to the domed wall of the USJ. Rather than burned dirt, the trench he had carved was made of molten glass. Standing in the middle of that trench was Nomu; the monster had shielded his head with his arms, but the rest of his body was a dull black…

Which then started to crumble away like charcoal, until only his head fell to the ground intact.

Heatblast stared in horror, unable to do anything else, as the Ultimatrix timed out from using so much power. Midoriya was snapped back into full awareness when the superheated ground under him started to burn through his clothes and into his skin—he quickly scrambled back to the edge of what he had done, though not before earning burns on his feet, knees, and hands. He was about to stumble towards Todoroki, but then heard a noise that sounded like tearing meat.

He turned, and saw that Nomu's entire body was starting to regenerate from the neck down; it took almost a full minute, but the monster stood back up, without a single mark.

"No…" Midoriya fell backwards and tried to get away. "That's impossible!"

Nomu took a step towards him, and then another… and then collapsed, and didn't get up again.

_It worked, _Midoriya thought with no small amount of relief. _He was able to recover from the damage, but regenerating that much must have overtaxed his body._

"Nomu?" Amazingly, Shigaraki and Kurogiri were still standing, though the former looked like he had a bad sunburn, and the latter's metal collar was warped from the heat. "Nomu, get up! The boss battle hasn't started yet, you can't disconnect now!" He glared at Midoriya. "_You_. You did this! You _cheated_! I don't know how, but you must have cheated!"

"Shigaraki Tomura…" Kurogiri reached out, but Shigaraki batted him away.

"I'm gonna kill you, cheater." Shigaraki charged at Midoriya, hands outstretched to turn him into dust. "I had the perfect plan to kill All Might, and you _ruined it_!"

Midoriya was exhausted, hurt, unable to transform, and now, he was terrified. Shigaraki had never seemed like the most stable person in the world, but now he was a grown man with the power to kill with a touch, in the throes of a temper-tantrum.

Shigaraki was mere feet away from Midoriya when the USJ doors slammed open—more than that, they were ripped clean off their hinges.

"STAY BACK, VILLAIN!" Midoriya blinked, and suddenly, All Might was there, standing between him and Shigaraki. Instead of his costume, he was wearing his yellow pants and white shirt. "You won't harm anyone else today!"

"All Might!" Kurogiri created a portal, just as the Hero threw a punch. "Shigaraki, get back!"

"TEXAS—" before All Might could finish one of his special moves, another blur tackled him to the side. "What? Young Mirio, what are you doing!?"

"Stopping you from making a big mistake." Lemillion panted as he fell to one knee. "Ow. Must've pushed myself too hard there. Anyway, if you'd punched into that portal…" he pointed behind him.

All Might glanced back, and saw the other portal hovering behind Midoriya; it didn't take him long to figure out what he had almost done. "Ah. I see. My thanks, Lemillion." He turned back to the Villains. "Your mission is over, criminals! From what I can see, your pawns have all been defeated, and your big friend over there is down for the count. Surrender peacefully, and since none of my students were permanently injured, I'll put in a good word with the authorities."

"Are you… pitying me?" Shigaraki's shoulders trembled. "Don't you _dare _pity me, Symbol of Peace! Everything I ever suffered is because of you, and Heroes like you! I promise you, I _am _going to kill you, All Might, but now, I'll make sure you watch as I turn everything you love to dust!"

All Might just raised an eyebrow. "Not from Tartarus, you won't."

Shigaraki grinned behind the hand on his face. "Only if you catch me. Kurogiri!"

All Might reached out, but a dozen portals surrounded Shigaraki and Kurogiri in a dome, protecting them as another portal swallowed the pair up.

"Watch your back, All Might," Shigaraki taunted. "I want you to see it all coming…"

The portals faded, leaving All Might to ponder the Villain's words, until a hiss of pain from Midoriya pushed it all to the back of his mind. He could worry about the Villains later; right now, he had an injured student.

"Don't worry, young Midoriya," he said, and gently scooped the boy up into his arms. "I am here."

Midoriya tried and failed to stop the tears that finally caught up with him. "Th-thank you, All Might."

All Might glanced at Lemillion, who jerked a thumb at Nomu and shook his head. "No, young Midoriya—I think I should be the one thanking you."

…

With All Might and the other teachers' arrival, the remaining Villains were quickly captured, and the students were gathered together at the entrance of the USJ. Police officers arrived a few minutes later to take the criminals into custody and to collect statements, while paramedics worked to help anyone who needed it.

Uraraka, now trembling as her adrenaline faded, was hugging Iida in thanks; the boy had pushed himself to his absolute limit, and his engines were still smoking. He stiffly returned the embrace, though his smile was genuine and warm.

"Is everyone all right, Uraraka?" he asked, and then limped over to a nearby bench to sit down.

"I'm not sure," Uraraka admitted. "Ashido burned herself pretty bad with her acid, but she's already being taken to Recovery Girl. Aizawa-sensei looked _bad_, though. The teachers are still gathering up everyone else—oh my god, Deku-kun!"

Everyone who heard her voice turned to see All Might carrying Midoriya in his arms; the boy had ugly burns on his hands and knees, and his shoes had been melted through to his feet. Behind them came Lemillion, who was limping, along with Kirishima, Todoroki and Bakugo, though those three looked unhurt.

"I-I'm all right," Midoriya stammered as All Might placed him on a stretcher. "I just need to wait for my watch to recharge, and then I can heal myself with Swampfire."

Principal Nezu turned from his conversation with a detective. "Are you sure, Midoriya-san?" When Midoriya nodded, Nezu looked satisfied. "Very well, that's one less patient for Recovery Girl. Todoroki-san, could you please provide him with some ice to cool those burns until he can transform?"

Todoroki nodded and created a rough chair out of ice for Midoriya. Lemillion gave both boys a thumbs-up, and then limped over to Nejire-chan and Suneater.

"How is everyone?" he asked.

Suneater slumped, but his words were steady. "One student had to be taken to Recovery Girl for acid burns, but she kept saying that she would be fine. Eraserhead had more serious injuries—I noticed several broken bones, and the flesh around his arm looked… rotted away."

"Yeah, it was the Villain in charge," Lemillion supplied. "I saw that he could decay things when he put his whole hand on them. Any other injuries?"

Nejire-chan shook her head, though she wasn't nearly as energetic as before. "Just some bumps and scrapes, nothing serious. What about you?"

Upon hearing that the other students would be fine, Lemillion relaxed, and his easy smile returned. "Well, I think I pushed myself too far, but it doesn't feel like anything is broken this time. I definitely tore some muscles in my leg, though."

Suneater sighed in relief. "At least it's not serious; I'll take you to Recovery Girl, and Nejire-chan can help with the cleanup." He waved a finger under Lemillion's nose. "No arguing about this, okay?"

Lemillion held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, let's go." Suneater put a hand on his arm to steady him, but as they passed Midoriya, Lemillion patted him on the shoulder. "You did good, freshman. Seriously, you really went Plus Ultra back there. See you around."

Midoriya blushed and nodded; when the older student left, he looked at Uraraka, who had been waiting impatiently behind them with the rest of their friends. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off when the girl hugged him tightly.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Deku-kun!" She pulled back and wiped her eyes. "When I saw you fall into that portal, I thought… anyway, you scared me again when All Might carried you outside! Don't do that again!"

"I'll do my best," Midoriya promised tiredly, his mind too unfocused to register that he'd just received his first hug from a girl. "Wait, I heard that Ashido was hurt, is she okay?"

Uraraka nodded. "It looked bad, but she was telling jokes when the paramedics took her to Recovery Girl. I think she's gonna be okay."

Midoriya sighed. "That's good. And everyone else is fine?"

"I think you and Ashido had the worst of it," Iida said as he limped over. "Everyone else will likely recover on their own in a day or two."

Now it was Midoriya's turn to wipe his eyes. "That's… that's great to hear." He, Iida and Uraraka all jumped when his watch beeped, and the dial turned green. "Oh, good, it recharged."

"Then hurry up and transform," Uraraka said, trying to sound stern, and failing miserably. "Those burns look awful."

"Yeah, one second." Midoriya cycled through his transformations, and then pressed the dial. "SWAMPFIRE!"

As Uraraka watched, the charred parts of Swampfire's body turned to a vibrant green. However…

"Uh, Deku-kun, I don't want to be rude, but that one smells _really _bad," Uraraka said, holding her nose with one hand and trying to fan away the smell with the other.

Asui wrinkled her nose. "I didn't want to say anything on the boat, Midoriya, but she's right, ribbit—that smell is awful."

"R-right, sorry." Midoriya quickly returned back to normal, and the smell faded. "I bet Recovery Girl is happy that I don't have to see her, though, right?"

Asui nodded. "Yeah, but poor Ashido is going to be with her, ribbit."

"That's true," Iida said. "As her friends, it would be uncouth of us not to check on her as soon as possible." Without his helmet, his wince was obvious. "And I admit that I might have strained something as well, so I should probably see Recovery Girl."

"Oh, Iida, I'm so sorry!" Uraraka dashed over to him. "Guys, come here and help me!"

Sero got to Iida's other side first, and between them, they supported the taller boy; Iida continued to protest, however.

"Please, this is unnecessary! I can walk to Recovery Girl on my own!"

Yaoyorozu smiled at him. "Maybe, but you obviously caused yourself some strong discomfort in an effort to get help."

"Yeah!" Midoriya walked over to the growing circle. "If you hadn't found All Might in time, he might not have been able to save me!"

Iida shrugged modestly. "Then it was obviously worth the pain."

"Regardless," Yaoyorozu said, and her voice was a little stern now, "we _are _going to help you get to Recovery Girl. Consider this an order from your Class President."

Iida probably knew she mostly meant it as a joke, but as soon as the words left her mouth, he straightened as much as he could. "Of course! I'll head there now." Yaoyorozu raised an eyebrow, and Iida winced again. "With help."

"It's nice to see all of you leaning on each other like this," a new voice said. Midoriya turned to see a man in a beige coat and matching hat. "Sorry, I'm Detective Tsukauchi, and I'm heading the investigation into this attack. I don't want to stop you from seeing Recovery Girl, but if none of your injuries are critical, I'd like you all to give statements to the officers here before you leave."

Yaoyorozu bowed. "Of course, Detective; it would be our pleasure."

Tsukauchi smiled. "Thank you. Don't worry, this shouldn't take too long."

For most of them, it didn't; only Midoriya took longer than a few minutes, since, among them, he'd had the most contact with the leader of the so-called 'League of Villains'. He had to describe Shigaraki's Quirk, his attitude, and any other detail he could. Thankfully, his analytical skills had their time to shine, and by the time he was done, Tsukauchi looked impressed.

"That was very detailed," he said. "I've met Pro Heroes who don't give reports that precise. It certainly cuts down on my work."

"Th-thank you, sir." Midoriya frowned when a thought occurred to him. "Um, Detective?"

"Yes, Midoriya-san? What is it?"

"Are… are we in trouble? None of us have our licenses, but we used our Quirks to fight Villains."

Tsukauchi tilted his head for a moment, and then smiled. "Don't worry about it so much. From every report I've received, you only fought because your lives, and the lives of your classmates, were in danger. As long as it's proven to be self-defense, Quirk use is allowed to fight someone else."

Midoriya sighed in relief. "Oh, that's good. Thank you."

"Just try not to get into situations that _require_ self-defense," the detective warned, though he kept up his smile. "At least until you get your license."

Midoriya bowed. "Of course, sir."

"Good. Now, you should catch up with your friends." Tsukauchi pointed, and Midoriya saw Uraraka waving him over. "Don't worry about the rest, Midoriya-san; if we need anything else, we'll call you."

"Thank you!" Midoriya bowed once more, and then jogged over to his friends.

Most of the students were beginning to head to the locker rooms, but Mineta stayed behind, waiting until the rest of the class was out of sight before approaching the principal.

_I can't do this, this was just too intense, _he thought. _I should just ask to transfer to General Studies._

"Excuse me, Nezu-sensei?"

Nezu turned. "What can I help you with, Mineta-san?"

Mineta opened his mouth, but then he looked at the retreating forms of Midoriya and his group of friends, and he thought back to when he was panicking in the water. Asui and Midoriya had been scared, just like him, but they hadn't freaked out.

_I guess I just know there's no point in panicking._

_I'm pretty sure that if I start panicking, I won't be able to stop. I'll freak out when we're not in danger._

They were no different from him; they were both beginners, yet they had maintained their composure in the face of true terror. More than that, they had saved his life several times in just a few minutes. If he backed out now… that would be spitting on their efforts. And he felt like he owed it to them to be better next time.

"Mineta-san?" Nezu tilted his head curiously. "Is something the matter?"

Mineta shook his head. "No, Nezu-sensei, it's just that I got a good look at the Villains in the Shipwreck Zone. If any of the police want to know any details, I might be able to help—I know I can identify them, anyway."

Nezu smiled. "Thank you, Mineta-san; I'll be sure to let the police know."

Mineta smiled back. _Maybe this is my first step._

…

"He isn't weak," Bakugo whispered. "I hate that he's strong, but he is. What the hell happened? A year ago, he couldn't even look me in the eye, and now he's fighting Villains that can beat Pros."

He was still coming to terms with the fact that Deku had a Quirk at all; he was barely able to comprehend that the nerd had a _powerful _Quirk.

_I have to get stronger, _he thought fiercely. _I've had my whole life to master my Quirk, and that useless Deku managed to surpass me. But I can focus on _just _my Quirk; that's the way I'll beat him. I'll show him and everyone else that quantity doesn't beat quality!_

"Hey, Bakugo!" He almost stumbled when the red-haired kid—he supposed he owed it to him to learn his name, since he wasn't a half-bad fighter—slapped him on the back. "You good, bro? We all need to get out of our costumes and head home."

"Yeah, okay." Bakugo tried to look uncaring as he snuck a glance back at Deku and his worthless friends. "Whatever."

…

"Hey, guys!" Ashido smiled sleepily as her friends walked into the infirmary. "What're you doing here?"

"We came to see you, silly!" Uraraka bounced over and gently hugged her. "We weren't gonna leave you here by yourself."

"Aw, that's sweet, but I'm not by myself." She grinned at the two boys at the other side of the room and playfully swiped in their direction. "Hey, good-lookin'. Rawr!"

Togata seemed as tired as Ashido, but he laughed at her antics; Amajiki, on the other hand, pulled his hood further over his eyes in embarrassment.

"Looks like we're meeting again sooner than I thought," Togata said with a friendly smile at Midoriya. "You okay now?"

"Uh, y-yeah! One of my transformations lets me heal really quickly."

"Lucky you," Togata teased. "Recovery Girl had to fix up torn muscles and a fracture in my left leg. Nothing too serious, I just have to rest for a few hours."

"I agree with her that you need to be more careful," Amajiki said with a frown. "Your Quirk was already hard to master, and now it's causing you physical damage if you push yourself too hard!"

Togata nodded. "I know, and that's why I'm being careful not to overdo it." He gave the other third-year a confident smile. "I promise, I'm doing everything I can to make sure I don't end up here more than I have to, but I'd rather suffer a small injury than let someone else die."

Amajiki scowled. "What I really hate is that I can't argue with that logic." He stood up and looked at the younger students. "You know, none of us are supposed to stay in our costumes after lessons—even when they end up like today did. If some of you would keep an eye on Mirio and your friend, we can take shifts getting changed."

Togata laughed. "You make it sound like I'm gonna sneak out or something!"

"I can take the first watch!" Iida volunteered. "I already need to see Recovery Girl, so I can handle it all at once. Everyone else can get changed, and then return here."

"Hey, Yaomomo, can you grab my uniform, and my costume's case?" Ashido asked. "Recovery Girl said I can get out of here in a couple of hours, but if I'm changed and have my costume put away, I don't have to go all over the place before going home."

Yaoyorozu smiled. "Of course, Ashido. Come on, everyone, let's get changed before a teacher lectures us."

It only took about fifteen minutes for everyone to get changed and come back, though Midoriya had to drop off his costume with a note for the Support Department to repair his. He and Sero did decide to bring Iida's things as well, which he thanked them profusely for when they returned. When they opened the door again, they found Hado sitting next to Togata , talking and waving excitedly.

"You kids are so fussy," Recovery Girl said as the younger students crowded around Ashido. "She already has immunity to her acid, up to a point; between that and my Quirk, she won't even have a scar."

"You're the best, Recovery Girl!" Ashido smiled at the old lady.

"Ah! I'm not finished!" she waved her cane in the girl's face. "You probably know this more than most, but acid can be especially damaging to the nerves. If you push your Quirk beyond what you're capable of handling, you could lose your sense of touch completely, and possibly functionality in your hands."

Midoriya blanched, and he wasn't the only one; even Hado's ever-present smile dimmed.

Yaoyorozu put her hand on Ashido's shoulder. "Please, never push yourself that far."

Sero nodded. "Yeah, or you'll make Tsuyu sad. Tsuyu, give her your sad face." He gestured to Asui, whose expression never changed. "See? It's like kicking a puppy!"

Ashido giggled. "Okay, you're right; no making the best frog-girl I know sad."

"I'm pretty sure I'm the only frog-girl you know, ribbit."

"You are, which automatically makes you the best!" Ashido stuck out her tongue; in response, Asui reached out with her own tongue, from five feet away, and flicked Ashido between the eyes.

Everyone stared at Asui as her tongue retracted; her expression remained blank, but Midoriya was positive she was smug.

"Dang," Ashido said. "With tongue action like that, you are gonna have one lucky boyfriend someday."

Most of her classmates, even Asui, turned red, but the Big Three burst out laughing—or just smiling, in Amajiki's case.

"Oh, man, that was good!" Togata grinned at Ashido. "You guys are great; we should hang out more."

"That would be a great honor, Mirio-san!" Iida tried to bow, but since he was now lying on one of the cots, it just looked silly.

"Please, just Mirio is fine." He leaned back on his own bed and looked at his phone. "Whoa, it's getting late. You all might want to consider getting home soon."

None of the first-years wanted to admit it, but they had trains to catch. On the other hand, they didn't want to leave their injured friends.

Fortunately, Iida came to the rescue. "I will be released at the same time as Ashido. I can keep her company until then, and I can also walk her to her train; I believe we both use the same station."

Ashido blew him a kiss. "My knight in futuristic armor!"

Iida sputtered and turned red, but the rest of them went right back to laughing. Midoriya wiped away a tear; if this was what he'd been missing out on for most of his life, he couldn't wait for more.

…

Eventually, Izuku returned home, only to be nearly tackled as his mother ran into him.

"Oh, my baby!" she cried. "I know you texted me earlier, but then the _police _called, _and _your principal! I'm so glad you're not hurt!"

Izuku decided not to mention that he _had _been hurt, a few times, but turning into Swampfire had fixed everything.

"I'm fine, Mom," he said and hugged her back. "A couple of my friends needed to get fixed up by Recovery Girl, but they should be on their way home by now."

"You should have seen this guy," Ben said as he materialized. "He took down a bunch of the bad guys, including their heaviest hitter, saved two of his classmates from getting killed, and he didn't cry until everything was settled!"

Inko sniffed and wiped her eyes. "I can't tell you how proud I am of you, Izuku, but please, don't put me through that kind of stress until you've got at least a provisional license."

Izuku nodded. "I'll do my best, Mom."

"You look exhausted, sweetie," Inko noted. "I can heat some food up for you, but then I want you to get some sleep. Don't worry about waking up early—when your principal called, he said that class was cancelled for tomorrow, and you've got the weekend. Take some time to process everything, maybe talk to your new friends. And remember that you can talk to me, too."

Izuku hugged her again. "I'd never forget to talk to you, Mom. I think I'll just get some sleep, though. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Izuku." Inko watched as her son headed to his room, and then turned to Ben with a yawn. "All this stress has _me _exhausted, and I didn't fight Villains! I think I'll turn in early, too; goodnight, Ben."

"Sleep well," Ben said. "I'll keep an eye on everything, just in case." Inko turned and headed into her own room, just missing how Ben flickered erratically for a moment. Ben looked down at his hands and frowned.

"Already? I thought I'd have more time." He glanced back at Izuku's room. "You're going to have to be ready soon, buddy; I'm not going to be around forever…"

…

Far from the Midoriya household, in a bar located away from any major streets, Shigaraki was throwing a fit, along with several chairs.

"Everything was ruined!" he shouted. "All our men were defeated, Nomu was taken down by some kid, and All Might didn't even show up until we had no chance to beat him!" He picked up a barstool and hurled it into a wall. "No way RNG screwed us over that bad, and our plan was good, so _what the hell went wrong_!?"

"_If you will calm down for a moment, Tomura," _came a calm, cultured voice, one that froze Shigaraki on the spot. _"The Nomu I gave you was one of my most powerful creations. I crafted it to match All Might, so who was this student who defeated it?"_

Shigaraki scowled behind the hand on his face, but turned and bowed to the small television in the corner, the source of the voice. "No idea, Master. He wore a green hoodie with stupid-looking ears. He turned into different forms, all with different Quirks; one was a big dinosaur, another looked like it was made of diamond, and another shot fire so hot that it overwhelmed Nomu's regeneration!"

"_Really, now?" _Far from being upset, Shigaraki's master sounded intrigued. _"Fascinating. I have not heard of someone with such vastly different Quirks since… well, we will have to keep an eye on this student. In fact, if mere students could defeat hardened Villains like the ones who served you, then we should be wary of that entire class._

"_For now, rest and heal, Tomura. Once you have recovered, we will begin learning what there is to know about these would-be Heroes. You studied All Might in an effort to kill him; if these children are a threat to the League of Villains, then I suggest that you study them as well."_

Shigaraki bowed again. "Of course, Master. I was prepared for the boss of the raid, but I didn't take the minibosses seriously enough. I also should have considered random encounters."

"_See? Even though you failed to achieve your objective, you've learned something valuable."_

"Thank you for your wisdom, Master."

"_Of course, Tomura; it is why I am here."_

**I know that I probably could have fit this chapter into the last one, but I was tired then, so here's this. A little shorter, but it's the end of the first arc. Anyway, I hoped you liked the fight between Heatblast and Nomu; I got the idea from Endeavor's fight in the second Nomu encounter, only scaled up in power. I mean, Heatblast is written as being able to fire supernova-level blasts. Obviously, I didn't want Midoriya to destroy all of Japan with an attack like that, but I also wanted him to be able to beat Nomu. **

**And some stuff with Mirio! Keep in mind, he's had One For All longer in this series at this point than Midoriya did in canon, and he's in better shape, so his limit is higher than canon Midoriya's. How high is his limit? Probably fifteen percent right now, which is still stupidly powerful, but he still couldn't hurt Nomu, who could tank **_**three hundred **_**punches from All Might, who was using way more power.**

**Anyway, while I did say that I dislike Mineta (and still do), I feel like this scare from the Villains will set him on a better path. Also, some inspiration from Midoriya and Asui doesn't hurt. Will it make him less of a pervert? Eh, probably not, but he'll be less offensive in public, and more focused on his Hero career. Still, don't expect too much screen time (page time?) with him, simply because he's not a character I'll remain focused on. That's Midoriya and his friends.**

**Speaking of which, more friendship stuff with UA's Rising Stars! That has quickly become one of my favorite things to write, especially when it makes our favorite cinnamon roll happy. Expect more interactions between them and the Big Three, because I like them.**

**Unfortunately, Midoriya is also now on the bad guys' radar; never a good thing to do when you're not even a full week into high school.**

**As always, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb, on Amazon. If you're unsure, you can read the first chapter for free on my website (link in my profile). You could also consider donating on P-atreon (also a link in my profile). People who do that get thanks and goodies (and by goodies, I mean a free copy of my book). Speaking of my patrons, thanks to those who have met the required tiers:**

**Serious Muffins: ****jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Krisjanis Jansons, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, Alexis Troy, John Collins, Calleo, Casey Pak, Red Bard, Ultimatrix10**

**Incredible Muffins: ****RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844, Jaeger456, killroy225, Brian McGloughlin**

**Ultra Muffins: ****Adam Costello, Jeffrey Perigo, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Midoriya relaxes with his friends, but as the weekend rolls around, he has to get serious as his training steps up!**

**Happy Muffin Year!**


	7. Bonds

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. IF ANYONE ASKS, THE ALIEN TECH IN MY BACKYARD ISN'T MINE, I'M JUST HOLDING ONTO IT FOR A FRIEND.**

**After three chapters in a row with lots of action (or is it four?), I think we all need a moment to breathe. Or text, in Midoriya's case.**

**Alternate titles for this chapter include 'Yaomomo is richer than God', and 'Unlimited POWER!'**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 7

Bonds

The morning after the attack on the USJ, Midoriya had just finished breakfast when his phone alerted him to new messages. He saw that it was from 'UA's Rising Stars' and opened up his messenger app.

Glasses: How is everyone this morning?

Book: I am a little sore, but that's to be expected. But you, Mina and Izuku had the worst injuries. Are you three okay?

Glasses: Recovery Girl said not to use my boosters for at least three more days, but other than some discomfort, I'm fine.

All Might: I'm all healed up, actually. Swampfire's regeneration is better than Recovery Girl… please don't tell her I said that.

Crayon: only if u help me w/ my math homework. First week of skool, and we got trig. It sux and makes me want 2 cry

All Might: Deal. How are your hands, Mina?

Crayon: stiff, and it's hard to move them, but RG sez Ill b fine in a few days

Frog: Hi, ribbit. I'm fine, but my legs are sore. I don't normally do big jumps like the one on the boat. Also, you still owe me mouthwash, Izuku.

Tape: Hey, guys. Wait, what's this about mouthwash? Did you leave out something yesterday? I need to know!

Frog: I had to carry Mineta in my tongue. TWICE.

Tape: Ah. 'nuff said. On behalf of every male out there, I apologize for him.

All Might: ^

Glasses: ^

Comet: Morning, every1!

Comet: Am I the only 1 who isn't all sore and junk? Is it weird that I feel bad about that?

Book: You have something like survivor's guilt, Ochako, and you have nothing to feel guilty about. If anything, we are all glad that you aren't hurt.

Tape: Besides, you got hurt during the battle training, so it evens out. Also, if you feel guilty, I should feel guilty, since I feel fine too.

Crayon: preach! srsly, Ochako, dont let this get u down. U r much prettier when u smile

Comet: luv u 2, Mina

Midoriya smiled; it was good to see his friends so supportive of each other.

Book: I admit, the only problem I had was that I had some trouble sleeping. I had a close call yesterday, and I had some nightmares about all of you in danger.

Book: I know you can all take care of yourselves, and we proved that yesterday, but I have a selfish request.

Book: Would you all be willing to get together sometime today? I realize that this is at the last minute, and I apologize.

Crayon: time and place, ill be there

Tape: ^

Comet: ^

Frog: ^ ribbit.

Tape: I knew you'd do that!

Frog: I'm imagining your face right now, and it is hilarious.

Glasses: I would be happy to meet up with you all. I admit that I had some anxiety myself last night, but my brother talked me through it.

All Might: I just need to let my mom know if I'm not going to be home in the evening, but I shouldn't have a problem. She'll probably just be happy that I have friends to spend time with.

Ben looked over his shoulder at his phone. "That might have been a little too much, dude."

"It's true, though." Midoriya shrugged. "I don't really know what 'hanging out' is like!"

Comet: OMG, you're breaking my heart, Deku-kun! That's it, now we HAVE to meet up today.

Crayon: ^

Frog: ^

Tape: ^

Glasses: ^

Book: I'll send you all my home address. Oh, and don't worry about any travel fares, I will reimburse you. Don't even try to fight it, I took debate in middle school, and I will counter every argument.

Book: I'll ask Mother and Father to set aside some rooms for us. There will be tea and food!

After a few minutes of discussion, the group decided to meet up a little after noon, and spend a few hours doing whatever came to mind. There was no real plan, but Yaoyorozu suggested something relaxing, like spending time in her family's library. Ashido made a token complaint, but the idea of spending time with friends in a stress-free environment overrode her dislike of academic studies—and she became more interested when Yaoyorozu mentioned a large section of romance novels.

Midoriya got himself ready for the day and sent a message to his mother—who was more than happy for him—and then looked up the best route to the Yaoyorozu home. He only checked for one stop on the way there before ordering his train tickets.

…

"Whoa," Ashido whispered.

"Yeah," Midoriya said.

"Ribbit."

Sero grinned nervously. "I knew she was rich, but… yeah."

The Yaoyorozu home was huge; calling it a mansion would have been a disservice. Midoriya could only see the front from his spot in front of the gate, and though it wasn't as tall as his apartment building, it probably still exceeded it in pure mass.

Midoriya very quickly felt underdressed; he was wearing jeans and a green t-shirt that had 'T-Shirt' printed on it, so he looked more than a little out of place.

Iida pushed his glasses further onto the bridge of his nose; with his khaki pants and polo shirt, he looked like he was heading to a business meeting, not hang out with friends. "I think this is her spring residence."

Uraraka, who had been gaping silently until now, whirled. "She has more than one house!?"

"Yes? I remember my brother once worked on a case that involved the Yaoyorozu family. They invited him to their winter home, and he joked that they were renovating their summer home."

Sero raised an eyebrow. "Does she have a home for every season?"

Iida shrugged. "Possibly; I'm not acquainted with the family, and I only met Yaomomo at UA."

As ever, Asui was the voice of reason. "We're not going to get anywhere just standing here, ribbit. Let's ring the doorbell."

She pressed the button on the side of the gate; less than a second later, Yaoyorozu's voice came out of a speaker.

"_Oh, wonderful! You're all here! One moment, let me open the gate for you."_

Ben chuckled. "You sure you're the only one who didn't have friends? She seems way too happy that you're all here."

Midoriya couldn't disagree; he could almost hear Yaoyorozu's smile in her voice.

The large doors opened just before the group actually got there. Yaoyorozu, wearing a pink blouse and white shorts, stood in the doorway and beamed.

"Welcome to our home!" she said, and ushered them all inside. They put their shoes onto beautifully carved wooden shelves, and Yaoyorozu took them on an abbreviated tour that ended in an enormous dining hall. "Please, make yourselves comfortable while I get the tea."

Midoriya sat on an oak chair that, despite its fine craftsmanship, was incredibly comfortable. "Okay, so… this is happening?"

"I guess so, ribbit," Asui said; her only sign of nervousness was how she kept smoothing out her yellow dress and green jacket. "I feel like I should be paying to sit down."

Uraraka sat limply in her own chair, and then looked down at her modest shorts and red shirt before looking up again. "I could fit every relative I have in just this room—it's bigger than my parents' house!"

Ashido nodded. "Aside from Iida, I think all of us live in places smaller than this room."

Iida shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that this would be so… overwhelming."

"Is something the matter?" Yaoyorozu smiled as she pushed a trolley that held a set of teacups that were probably worth more than what Midoriya's mother made in several months.

"No, nothing at all!" Sero tried to look nonchalant, and only partly succeeded. "I guess none of us have been in a house this big before. It's really cool."

"Oh, thank you!" Yaoyorozu began handing out tea and slices of cake. "To be honest, it's wonderful to have company over; usually, it's just the staff and my parents' business partners."

Uraraka leaned over to whisper in Midoriya's ear. "She has _staff_!"

Midoriya nodded weakly. _But she acts like she's always alone…_

"Thanks for all of this, Yaomomo," he said, gesturing vaguely to the tea, and then the room in general. The others quickly echoed his sentiment.

Yaoyorozu blushed. "Please, it was the least I could do."

"If this is the least, what happens when she pulls out all the stops?" Uraraka whispered.

"I'm imagining gold-plated robots serving meals from a five-star restaurant," Midoriya muttered back.

It took some time, but everyone eventually got comfortable enough to enjoy the tea—a brand called Imperial Golden Tips, which was a favorite of Yaoyorozu's—and have a casual conversation. None of them were willing to talk about the Villain attack yet; Yaoyorozu was just too happy to bring that up for now.

After the tea and cake, they were brought a light meal—which looked like something Midoriya had seen on a high-class cooking show—by several maids, whose uniforms were probably more expensive than Midoriya's nicest clothes.

Once that was done, Yaoyorozu brought them to the library, where huge shelves carried books on every subject Midoriya could imagine. What really caught his attention was an entire section on Pro Heroes.

"Wow!" Midoriya tentatively reached out and grabbed an older book. "This is a biography of Shimura Nana! This hasn't been in print for decades!"

Yaoyorozu nodded eagerly. "Oh, yes, my mother is a fan; she even met her once! If I'm being honest, Shimura-san inspired me more than any other female Hero."

"Wait, who's Shimura Nana?" Uraraka asked; everyone else, even Iida, looked lost.

"She was the first woman to get into Japan's Top Ten Heroes!" Midoriya exclaimed. "A lot of people agree that she was the one who helped women break into the Pro Hero business."

"Really?" Uraraka shrugged, which was mirrored by the others. "How come I've never heard of her?"

Yaoyorozu and Midoriya shared a sad look. "Well, she died in a fight with a Villain about thirty years ago," the former said. "Heroes dying to Villains, especially the more popular ones, isn't something the government likes to cover, so they let her fade into obscurity. I think they pulled all of her merchandise within a few months after her death. They didn't even say who the Villain was, or if they were caught."

At the mention of Villains, the group fell into an awkward silence as they sat on beautiful recliners.

"Are…" Ashido glanced around. "Are we gonna talk about what happened yesterday?"

"I feel like we should," Sero said. "I mean, better to talk about it with you guys than a school shrink, right?"

For another moment, they were quiet again.

"I was so scared," Uraraka said, her voice small. "Everything was happening so fast, and then Deku-kun, Tsu-chan, Yaomomo—you all disappeared. I mean, I was worried about the rest of the class, but you guys are my friends, and when you were gone, I thought you might be—"

Uraraka choked, and her eyes watered. Without even thinking about it, Midoriya reached out and took her hand in his.

"We weren't," he said firmly. "We're all okay, right?"

"Yeah!" Ashido held up her hands, which were still bandaged. "This was probably the worst injury any of us had, and I'm gonna be fine!"

Uraraka nodded and rubbed her eyes with her free hand. "Thanks. I think knew that, I just needed to hear it."

"Anytime," Midoriya said, and then realized he was still holding her hand. "O-oh! I'm s-sorry, I d-didn't mean to—"

Now it was Uraraka's turn to interrupt, though with a giggle. "It's fine, Deku-kun."

"Oh, look, he's back to stuttering!" Sero leaned over and playfully smacked Midoriya's shoulder.

"Fighting Villains, talking about Quirk theory, gushing about Heroes, being all noble—no problem at all!" Ashido winked at Midoriya. "Chilling out with a pretty girl? He turns into a mess."

"He's gonna make all the boys in class so jealous, ribbit," Asui said with the slightest hint of a smile. "Mina and Yaomomo think he's adorable, he saved me from the lead Villain, and it's obvious that Ochako has a crush on him."

Ashido just laughed, and Yaoyorozu looked away with a bit of color on her cheeks, but Uraraka's face turned a dangerous shade of red. She tried to cover up her blush with her hands, but accidentally made herself float overhead. Asui pulled her back down with her tongue, and she released her Quirk before she made herself sick.

"You know, I was hoping for a reaction from you, Ochako, but I didn't think it would be that good, ribbit." Asui patted Uraraka on the shoulder as the girl tried to calm down.

"Were you hoping for _that _reaction?" Sero grinned as he pointed at Midoriya, who had gone nearly catatonic, mumbling incoherently and blushing hard enough that Iida looked genuinely concerned.

"That's even better, ribbit."

…

Once Midoriya and Uraraka composed themselves, Yaoyorozu suggested they all find something they enjoyed reading. She picked out a science textbook—which made Ashido grimace—while Iida found a history of early Pro Heroes, something that he promised to trade with Midoriya when he was done reading the Shimura biography. Asui picked out an encyclopedia on frogs, to absolutely no one's surprise, and Uraraka found an old fantasy novel from the pre-Quirk days. Sero was revealed to be a fan of older genres when he came back with a noir detective novel. Ashido took the longest to find a book, and when she did, everyone blushed; the cover involved a woman wearing only a sheet, held in the arms of a near-naked man who looked like he'd been sculpted, not born.

"At least we all know each other's preferences," Midoriya pointed out, though to the group's amusement, he was still red-faced after seeing Ashido's choice in reading material.

For her part, Ashido glanced at the cover of her book, and then waggled her eyebrows at the boys.

"I bet you could be like this hunk if you hit the gym every day," she said. "How often do you boys work out?"

"I train at least three times a week," Iida said, flustered.

Sero shrugged, unfazed by Ashido's saucy grin. "I go to a gym sometimes, but mostly for the rock-climbing."

At this point, steam was dangerously close to coming out of Midoriya's ears. "I s-started a w-workout r-regimen almost a year ago."

"Well, keep at it, and you might at least look as ripped as Kirishima." Ashido grinned even wider and turned to the other girls. "Hmm, did you see the abs on that boy? You could grate cheese on that!"

Yaoyorozu gently nudged her. "All right, please stop—you too, Tsuyu."

"Fine, but just for today," Ashido said.

"I'll give you until next week, ribbit."

For a while, they settled into a comfortable silence, only broken by the occasional giggle from Ashido as she read. At one point, though, Uraraka let out a gusty sigh that got their attention.

"Does anyone ever wonder if Heroes in the early days acted like this?" She held up her book. "People who just did the right thing for its own sake, not because it got them attention, or because it was their job?"

"Technically, that's being a Vigilante," Yaoyorozu pointed out. "Many of them are people who couldn't get a license for Hero work, but still want to help. Many of their intentions are noble, but it's still illegal to use your Quirk outside of special circumstances. Still, most of them are left alone if they're just picking up trash or helping people cross the street. Some Heroes actually don't mind if they're around in a crisis, because they help evacuate civilians. It's just the ones that try to fight Villains and cause trouble that are the problem."

"Speaking of being heroes," Midoriya said, his tone innocently curious. "Can I ask you all a question?"

"Sure, Deku-kun," Uraraka said.

"Why do you want to be Heroes?" Midoriya shrugged. "I mean, it's kind of obvious that I was inspired by All Might, but what about the rest of you?"

Iida smiled proudly. "Well, I come from a long line of Heroes. I see it as a responsibility and a great honor to uphold that tradition!"

Yaoyorozu looked a little embarrassed. "I've been blessed with a good life, and a good Quirk. I felt that I should do all I can to give back to the world as a Hero."

"Ribbit, I really like helping people," Asui said. "And I'm pretty good at making my siblings happy, so I thought I could make other people happy too."

Uraraka was quiet for a moment. "If I answer, can you all promise you won't make fun of me?"

Everyone unanimously promised.

"Well… for the money."

Midoriya glanced at her. "Really? I mean, there's nothing wrong with that, being a Pro Hero is still a job, but—"

"No, it's not that." Uraraka looked down at her lap. "My parents… they have a construction company, but business hasn't been very good for a while. They don't have a lot of money, so I thought I could be a Pro Hero and make their lives easier. They kept telling me that I didn't have to do it for them, but they worked so hard to get me into UA, so when I make it big, I'm gonna send them on an all-expense-paid vacation to Hawaii!"

By the time she was done, everyone had stopped to stare at her.

"What?"

"That is incredibly noble!" Iida started chopping the air in excitement. "You're sacrificing some of your own future to help your family! Truly, you are a selfless person!"

"Yeah, now I feel kinda bad," Ashido said. "I wanted to be a Hero because of all the cool stuff I could do, but I never really thought about how I would help people. I think you just inspired me, Ochako!"

"I feel the same as Mina," Sero said. "Being a Hero always sounded cool, but helping people I know never really crossed my mind. I always pictured myself helping random citizens, but actually having a connection to people I've helped… I've got some stuff to think about now."

"Ribbit, that's really sweet of you." Asui hopped over and smiled. "You're doing a good thing."

Yaoyorozu just nodded, but when no one was looking, she made a note on her phone to talk to her parents about possibly hiring Uraraka's family for any construction projects in the future.

Midoriya, deliberately this time, reached out and put his hand over hers. "That is now my favorite reason why anyone became a Hero."

Uraraka beamed. "Thanks, Deku-kun."

Ashido watched the two of them gaze into each other's eyes and smirked; she lightly elbowed Yaoyorozu, pointed with her chin in their direction, and waggled her eyebrows. For her part, Yaoyorozu just rolled her eyes, though she did think it was very sweet.

…

The sun had set, and Yaoyorozu insisted that they all stay for dinner. Like before, the meal was incredibly expensive, but it tasted amazing, and nobody complained. Afterwards, they began getting ready to leave.

"We should do this again," Yaoyorozu said as her friends put on their shoes. "At the very least, we can have a good place to study for tests!"

"A wonderful idea, Yaomomo!" Iida nodded decisively. "We should organize study groups on weekends!"

"The weekends before tests," Ashido amended. "We all need time to relax, too, or we'll burn ourselves out. But I'm totally down for hangouts with you guys!"

The rest of the group quickly agreed; they were about to head out, but then Midoriya realized that he still had one thing left to do.

"Hey, Tsuyu?" Midoriya pulled the small bottle of mouthwash he'd bought from a convenience store between train stops from his pocket and tossed it to her. "I th-think we're even now."

For a moment, it almost looked like Asui would actually laugh; instead, she just smiled. "Thanks, ribbit."

"See you guys after the weekend!" Ashido called out, waving back at Yaoyorozu. "Aside from the whole thing with the Villains, this has been a great week!"

"Totally!" Sero shared a high-five with her, taking care not to hit too hard because of her hands. "I'm actually excited for school! How weird is that?"

They shared a laugh, but when it came time for them all to split up, Uraraka lingered with Midoriya.

"Hey, Deku-kun?"

"What's up, Ochako?" Midoriya blushed. "Wait, we're not with everyone else, sorry for calling you by your first name."

"It's fine," Uraraka said with a bright smile. "I just wanted to ask you something."

"Oh, g-go ahead."

"How are _you _doing?" she asked. "You were so concerned about all of us, especially yesterday, but you haven't said anything about yourself."

Midoriya took a deep breath. "W-well, I can't say I wasn't scared, but everything happened so fast, so I didn't really have time to think about it… until the end, I mean. Shigaraki was really close to grabbing me, and I ran out of time." He shuddered for a moment, but forced a smile back on his face. "B-but All Might showed up, and I'm fine now!"

Uraraka didn't look like she completely believed him, which was fair—he didn't completely believe himself. Still, she didn't call him out on it, since he'd at least admitted that he'd been scared; instead, she hesitantly walked up and hugged him.

Midoriya froze; he was getting used to talking to girls, but now _there was a girl hugging him_. Unlike yesterday, he was completely aware of what was happening—a pretty girl was hugging him, and he had no idea what to do! Ben, who had been absent for almost the entire visit, was no help at all; he just appeared, grinned, and disappeared again.

"I'm glad you're okay, Deku-kun," Uraraka said quietly, and then stepped back and smiled. "See you at school?"

"Uh-huh," Midoriya managed.

Once she was gone, Ben appeared again. "Man, you _have _had an interesting week. I hope the rest of the year isn't this eventful, or you're going to need anxiety meds."

Midoriya couldn't help but agree.

…

Unlike almost all of the other UA students, Midoriya didn't spend the entire weekend out of school. Though class had been canceled until next week, Nezu had sent him an email saying that the offer of extra training was still open on Saturday. He wasn't required to come for this one, but the tone of the email suggested he wanted Midoriya to go.

Which was why he showed up at school in the early hours of the morning. He was unsure of how to dress, so he came in his uniform. Waiting for him just past the front gate was Nezu, sipping what looked like coffee from a thermos.

"Good morning, Midoriya-san!" The little creature smiled widely. "I trust that you rested well yesterday?"

"Y-yes, Nezu-sensei." Midoriya bowed respectfully. "I was spending time with some of my classmates."

"I trust none of you were doing anything strenuous?" Nezu didn't seem serious, and was just making idle conversation. "Yesterday was meant for you all to recuperate."

"We just talked, had some food, and read in Yaoyorozu-san's library." Midoriya smiled at the memory. "It was the first time I've ever spent a day with friends like that."

Nezu's own smile turned a bit strained. "Yes, I imagine living Quirkless for so long prevented you from having many friends." He shook his head. "When Quirks first emerged, many of those who had powers were shunned by society. Now, it is those without Quirks who are treated as if they are unnatural."

"I-it wasn't so bad!" Midoriya protested, though Ben rolled his eyes. "Stop that, Ben!"

"While I can't see him right now, I assume that Ben has done something to refute that statement." Nezu shrugged. "But enough of such dreary topics today. We have a few more minutes of walking, so please, tell me what you read at Yaoyorozu-san's home."

When Midoriya talked about the Shimura biography, Nezu laughed. He told Midoriya that he himself had read that same book, and had met Shimura Nana years ago. To Midoriya's disappointment, a good part of the biography was guesswork, as Shimura had kept a great deal of her personal life a secret. He did hint that he knew some of those secrets, but they were not his to tell, which Midoriya could respect.

After all, Nezu was keeping _his _secrets.

"Ah, here we are," the principal said. "Gym Alpha. There is equipment here that can be useful for almost any Quirk, as well as modular terrain for different techniques, and rings for full-contact sparring."

"What am I starting on first?" Midoriya asked, excited to train somewhere that wasn't a field of garbage.

"It's less of a 'what', and more of a 'who'." Nezu giggled to himself as he stepped inside. "Though, in this case, you'll recognize them."

"Hey, freshman!" Midoriya jumped a foot into the air at the familiar voice. "And here I thought it would be a while before we saw each other again!"

Standing there in their gym uniforms was the Big Three. Togata was doing some stretches, Hado was casually flying overhead, and Amajiki was lifting several weights with the massive tentacles that now replaced his fingers.

"Hey, hey!" Hado darted back to the ground and landed in front of Midoriya. "It's great to see you again! How're your friends, the one with glasses, and the pink one that hit on Mirio and Tamaki?"

Togata laughed at the reminder, while Amajiki groaned.

It took Midoriya a moment to adjust to Hado's enthusiasm; she was also a pretty girl that had gotten well within his personal space.

"W-well, Iida is d-doing a lot b-better, and Ashido sh-should be able to t-take off her b-bandages in another day or two." He looked down at Nezu. "You didn't say the Big Three would be here!"

Nezu grinned up at him. "To be fair, I didn't tell _them _that _you _would be here, either." He started walking towards a flight of stairs. "You four get started on your training. Midoriya-san, remember that I want you to focus on just one transformation for today. Togata-san, Hado-san, Amajiki-san—I would appreciate it if you didn't kill him."

"Y-yes, Nezu-sensei!" It took Midoriya a second to register what Nezu had said to the Big Three. "Wait, what?"

Togata slapped him on the back hard enough to send him stumbling forward… directly into Hado, who immediately hugged him.

"Oh, he's so cute, Mirio!" She gave the older boys pleading eyes. "Can we keep him? Please?"

"Only if you let him go, Nejire," Togata said with a laugh. "I'm pretty sure he stopped breathing; that's even worse than the first time you hugged Tamaki."

Hado pouted, but let Midoriya go. "Um, I'm, uh, gonna go get into my gym clothes, be right back."

Hado laughed, Togata grinned, and even Amajiki smirked for a second. _Poor kid, he's been here for two minutes, and those two have already decided to take him under their wing. I might as well make sure they don't accidentally kill him with embarrassment._

…

Nezu entered the observation room to find three familiar faces. "Ah, you're all here. I was wondering if I would have to resort to drastic measures."

A tall, lanky man in a white suit adjusted his glasses. "That wouldn't have been necessary, Nezu-san. I was prepared for this meeting."

A short, old man in a white costume with yellow boots, gloves, cape and belt rolled his eyes behind his double-diamond mask. "If you say you saw this coming with your Quirk, I'm gonna hit you, Nighteye."

Sir Nighteye, former Sidekick to All Might, smirked. "Nothing so dramatic. It was fairly obvious that Nezu-san wanted us to meet when he invited me to observe Mirio's extra training." His customary frown returned as he turned to the final member of the group. "What I _don't _know is why you aren't down there training him, All Might; he's _your _successor."

All Might looked rather silly at the moment; in his skinny form, he was practically swimming in his costume. He also looked distinctly uncomfortable being in the presence of his employer, his old teacher, and his former Sidekick; after his fateful battle years ago, he had parted with the latter two on less than the best of terms, and conversations over the last few months had been awkward at best. Choosing Togata as his successor had helped mend that fence, but it was slow going.

"Well, I actually have a good reason for that."

Gran Torino jabbed his cane at the man's chest. "You better not have pushed your time limit again, Toshinori."

"No, no; in fact, I'm taking a break today." He held up his hands at the incredulous looks he was getting. "It's true! I only used my muscle form to get here quickly, because I slept in a bit. Anyway, the reason I'm not down there is because young Mirio has already developed his fighting style. He's now incorporating the extra power, and learning to regulate it safely; if anything, I'm just here to make sure he doesn't overdo it. And yes, I know that's being a little hypocritical."

Gran Torino glanced at Sir Nighteye. "Should we be concerned that he's being all responsible for once?"

Sir Nighteye shrugged. "I can't discount the possibility that choosing a successor has opened his eyes, so to speak." He turned his attention to the fourth student to arrive. "What perplexes me is why you have brought that first-year student, Nezu-san. Is this the one with multiple Quirks?"

Nezu nodded. "Yes, I brought him here because he has potential the likes of which I've never seen. However, he only learned how to use his Quirk recently, and in terms of practical application, he is woefully behind the rest of his class. Thankfully, he is a quick study. My aim is to have him train with the best students in UA; their experience will help him, and the sheer variety of his transformations will hone them in turn."

All Might laughed, and then spat out blood. "I think Aizawa would call that a very rational decision."

Sir Nighteye just raised an eyebrow. "I wonder… Mirio is already set to be the next Symbol of Peace. Will someone like this Midoriya help him, or hinder him?"

"I suppose we'll find out," Nezu said.

…

"All right, let's start with some sparring," Togata said, and pointed to the ring. "You and me, freshman; show me what you've got."

Midoriya nodded. "Okay!" He cycled through his aliens, and then made his choice for the day. "HUMUNGOUSAUR!"

"Ooh, I remember that one from the other day!" Hado hovered a few feet in the air and quickly circled around him. "This form is pretty tough; you took a blast from my Quirk and shook it off! Sorry about that, by the way."

Humungousaur shrugged. "It wasn't that big a deal. I'm just glad it was me and not someone else."

"Aw, that's so sweet!" She turned in midair and gave Togata a stern look. "We just got him, so no breaking him!"

Togata laughed. "I'll do my best!"

The two students went to opposite sides of the ring; Togata cracked his knuckles, but to the surprise of the Big Three, Humungousaur started to grow in size, until he was almost forty feet tall. Large plates sprouted from his back, and wicked spikes emerged from the end of his tail.

"Oh, so this form actually has a surprise," Togata noted. "Does Mount Lady know you're copying her?"

Humungousaur scratched his cheek. "Well, in her defense, she can reach just over sixty-seven feet tall, and my maximum is about sixty."

"That's some spot-on trivia." Togata grinned. "Also in her defense, you aren't as pretty."

Humungousaur couldn't help but chuckle. "You're not wrong." He took a deep breath. "All right, let's do this!"

Hado reached up and fired a tiny spiral of energy. "Okay, go!"

Humungousaur charged, covering the distance between them in three massive footsteps. He swung his fist in a downward arc that was aimed at Togata's chest. However, an instant before he made contact, Togata's clothes melted off his body, and Humungousaur's fist passed harmlessly through him.

"Wait, what?" Humungousaur watched as Togata then sank into the floor. "I thought he had enhanced strength!"

Togata then popped straight up, completely naked and crackling with golden energy again; he caught the surprised Humungousaur on the chin and sent him tumbling back.

"POWERRRR!" Togata roared as he landed on his feet. "Come on, Midoriya, that can't be all you've got! What happened to that kid who beat Nomu?"

Humungousaur rubbed his sore jaw. "Okay, fine, let's try again!"

No matter how many times he attacked, or from what angle, he was unable to land a hit on Togata. His blows just passed through, and then Togata would counter with a punch or kick that left Humungousaur more like a dinosaur-sized punching bag.

He considered using one of his other aliens, but Nezu had told him to only use one for the day. Even if he could, he wasn't sure if he had anything in his arsenal that _could _hit Togata.

Finally, after an hour of being beaten into the ground, the Ultimatrix timed out, and Midoriya was left a panting, bruised mess on the floor. Hado knelt by his side and gave him a bottle of water; Amajiki gave another to Togata, after the boy put his pants back on.

"A valiant effort, Midoriya-san," Nezu said as he walked back into the room. "There are many Pros who couldn't last that long against Togata-san, and you only transformed back because you reached your limit. Sometimes, the best you can ever hope for is to keep your opponent busy while other Heroes evacuate the area."

"Can I…" Midoriya took a long drink of water and then tried again. "Can I use another transformation to heal up?"

"Of course, but you can only use that one for that purpose, unless you train using it next week." Nezu turned around. "I'll be back in the observation room if anyone needs me. Please continue whenever you're ready."

Midoriya nodded in thanks, but froze again when Hado started stroking his hair. "H-Hado-san, w-what are you d-doing?"

"Sorry, I couldn't resist!" Hado giggled, but didn't stop. "You're just so adorable, and you never gave up, even when it was impossible to hit Mirio! Speaking of which…" she turned a devastating pout Togata's way. "I told you not to be so hard on him!"

Togata took a step back. "He has a transformation that heals him, and I didn't go all-out!"

Midoriya glanced down at the Ultimatrix; the dial was still red. "While I wait, can I ask you three a question?"

"Sure, go ahead," Togata said.

"Can I ask you about your Quirks?" Midoriya was particularly interested in Togata's, but he wanted to know about all of them.

"Ooh, me first!" Hado sprang up and generated a small spiral in her hand. "My Quirk is called Wave Motion! I turn my own stamina into spiral shockwaves; I can exhaust myself if I overdo it, but I've always got lots of energy! Oh, and I can use it to fly, which is so much fun! Hey, do you have a transformation that lets _you _fly, Midoriya-kun? We can be flying buddies!"

"I, uh, I do have a few forms that can fly," Midoriya said as he limped towards a bench. As soon as he sat down, Hado resumed messing with his hair.

"Your turn, Tamaki!" she said, pointing at the boy in question.

Amajiki slouched tiredly. "My Quirk is called Manifest. I can gain the physical properties of anything I eat." He held up one hand, which morphed into a giant crab claw. "I like to eat seafood as much as possible."

Midoriya's eyes went wide, even the one that was starting to darken from Togata's last punch, as he pulled out his notebook. "That's incredible! Does it work for non-animal food as well? How long does it last? Is there a limit to what you can do?"

Amajiki flinched at the enthusiastic questions. "It's not as impressive as your Quirk, but I _can_ utilize non-animal characteristics. I once used a plant's ability to photosynthesize during an internship and I was really tired. And I can use it until I digest it. Other than that, I don't really have a limit, though it can get exhausting when I force my body to go through so many changes."

Midoriya had gone starry-eyed at that point; it made Amajiki uncomfortable, but Hado and Togata found it adorable.

"Your turn, Mirio," Amajiki muttered. "Don't make me do that again."

Togata just laughed. "Fair enough. Okay, freshman, my Quirk is called Permeation. I can turn my body intangible and pass through anything, but it requires a lot of steps, because if I don't get it right, I'll just sink into the floor, or I might make part of my body intangible, but the rest of me will just smack into the wall I'm trying to go through."

"Sinking into the floor worked well during our spar," Midoriya pointed out.

"Yeah, but when I do that, I can't see, hear, or breathe, since all the air passes through me," Togata said. His smile didn't waver, but his tone was more serious. "And gravity gets weird when I do that, so I'll keep falling until I turn my Quirk off. Thankfully, as soon as I do, it spits me up and out of the ground, since matter can't occupy the same spot. Also, without my costume, I always become naked when I fully utilize my Quirk."

Midoriya frowned. "What about the strength and speed?"

…

"I'm interested to hear how he explains that," All Might said as they listened in. "We never gave him a cover story."

"He's also not a good liar," Sir Nighteye commented. "To be frank, none of them are."

…

Togata chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "Well, it turns out that I've only been utilizing half of my Quirk. When I pass through an object, I'm absorbing kinetic energy—something involving physics that I don't understand. Since I didn't know how to release that energy, I've just been storing it up for most of my life. I only figured out how to tap into that power a few months ago, but since I have such a big store of it now, I'm still learning how to regulate it safely."

Amajiki scowled. "You might have heard us the other day, but the first time he used this energy, he broke his arm."

"Yeah, it was scary," Hado said, and hugged Midoriya like he was a stuffed animal that comforted her after a nightmare. "The bones were sticking out and everything, it was gross."

Togata nodded. "Yeah, it took a while to figure out how to properly use it, and even then, I can only safely use about fifteen percent of my maximum. I _can _push it to about twenty, but I'll be sore all over for a few days. Anything more than that is asking for a visit to Recovery Girl."

A small part of Midoriya was glad that he'd brought his notebook; the rest of him was distracted, because _Hado was still hugging him_. Thankfully, he was saved when the Ultimatrix finished recharging.

"Um, you're going to want to take a step back," he advised—much to his relief, Hado let go. "This one… smells. Bad."

Sure enough, when Midoriya turned into Swampfire, the Big Three all held their noses and backed off. Still, they watched with fascination as all the bruises faded away, and Togata grinned when Midoriya turned back to normal.

"So, you can turn into a walking stink bomb that can regenerate? That's awesome!"

Midoriya went red-faced again. "I can also use seeds that trap people in vines, and I can throw fireballs."

Amajiki leaned back, as if he learned that Midoriya was a dangerous weapon. "How many transformations do you have?"

"Right now?" Midoriya shrugged. "Fifty."

…

All Might was treated to the rare sight of Sir Nighteye looking completely floored when they heard Midoriya's words. Granted, he was also surprised, but he'd suspected that the boy had plenty of transformations they'd yet to see.

"He has at least fifty Quirks?" Nighteye leaned against a nearby desk to support himself. "The only person I can think of who _might _have that many powers is—"

"Young Midoriya has no connection to All For One," All Might said firmly. "Nezu investigated him, and I trust Nezu's word."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, All Might." Nezu hopped onto the desk so that he could more easily meet Nighteye's gaze. "The boy has been able to transform for less than a year. If he was truly connected to All For One, I'm certain that Midoriya would be much more dangerous."

"He's right," Gran Torino said. "All For One would never have let someone with such a powerful Quirk walk around while he was alive, and if the boy had been working with him, he'd be a lot more experienced than he is. It just doesn't add up."

Nighteye took a long, steadying breath. "Very well, I accept your reasoning, but I feel uneasy about someone so unsure of himself possessing such power. I mean no offense, but I _will _be keeping an eye on him if he is going to be spending time with Mirio."

"Overprotective, isn't he?" Gran Torino stage-whispered, and All Might chuckled, only to become serious again.

"Speaking of… _him_," he said darkly, "Tsukauchi contacted me about one of the Villains from the attack. He's called Nomu, and he had multiple Quirks; unlike young Midoriya, this appears to have been done artificially."

Nighteye grimaced. "You think he's back? That he's _alive_?"

All Might's hands tightened into fists, and he switched to his muscle form on reflex. "I hate to even consider it, but I think he just might be."

"Then Mirio has to be ready." Nighteye glanced at the screen again, where Midoriya was chatting with the Big Three. "They'll _all _have to be ready."

…

Midoriya didn't just spar with Togata; he traded off between Hado and Amajiki as well. Hado was able to bombard Humungousaur with her Quirk, and evaded almost all of his strikes. The only exception was when Humungousaur had guessed where she was going, and managed to swat her out of the air with his tail. Technically, because he had knocked her out of the ring, he had won, but all she had was a bad bruise on her side, while he was covered in scrapes, bumps, and burns.

It was when he fought Amajiki that things were more even. Both of them were suited for close-quarters fighting, and Humungousaur could smash aside the giant clamshells that Amajiki used as shields. He had more trouble dealing with the boy's tentacles, because the thick muscle absorbed the shock of his blows. Amajiki almost won by choking him into unconsciousness, but Humungousaur again managed to push him out of the ring. Still, everyone admitted that if it had been a real fight, Humungousaur would have lost all three rounds.

"I think I need to use Humungousaur against slower, weaker opponents," Midoriya said, after he'd finished recovering. "He's probably better at clearing out areas of thugs when fighting. Anyone with mobility and a decent understanding of their own Quirk is going to cause me problems. Actually, I might have better luck with rescue work."

Togata looked at him curiously. "Oh? What are you thinking?"

"Well, Humungousaur is strong, which means lifting up debris will be easy. Oh, and if I need to carry people to safety, all I have to do is grow really big and have people hold onto my back plates while I carry others."

"Not a bad idea," Amajiki said from the wall, against which he pressed his forehead. "You should remember to have the stronger adults hold onto your back, while you carry the weaker civilians."

"Ooh, good call!" Hado commented, and then tilted her head. "Hey, Midoriya-kun?"

"Y-yes, Hado-san?"

"First of all, if you don't start calling me Nejire by next week, I'm gonna make Amajiki cover you in slime with his tentacles—"

"Please don't make me do that again, I'm pretty sure that one guy is still in therapy."

"Anyway," Hado pointed at the Ultimatrix. "How come you sometimes refer to your forms like they're other people?"

Thankfully, this was something that Midoriya had an easy answer for. "Well, some of my transformations make me feel like a different person; it's still me, but at the same time, it isn't. Also, um…"

When Midoriya hesitated, Togata slung an arm around his shoulders. "Hey, if you don't want to talk about it, it's fine."

"No, no, I just…" Midoriya sighed. "I actually thought I was Quirkless for most of my life. Even now, it sometimes feels like none of this is real, so I have a hard time seeing my different forms as… me."

Togata nodded in understanding. "I'm gonna give you some advice that I got recently. No matter how weird your Quirk is, just remember that it's part of you; once you accept that, the rest will just fall into place."

"Th-thanks, Mirio-san."

"Anytime, freshman." Togata looked at his phone. "Well, I've gotta get home; I've got homework to do, and let me tell you, Midoriya, third-year classes are harder than anything you can imagine."

Midoriya tried to smile. "Something to look forward to, I guess?"

Togata and Hado laughed, and though he'd deny it until his dying day, Amajiki's shoulders twitched in a way that suggested laughter.

Togata held out a fist. "Same time next week?"

Midoriya hesitantly brought up his own arm to complete the fist-bump. "Sure!"

And so, Midoriya headed home with three new contacts in his phone.

**I love the Big Three. Mirio is awesome, Amajiki has a versatility that rivals Yaoyorozu, and Hado is just so gosh-darn cheerful (though she's criminally underused compared to the other two). In regards to Midoriya, Mirio is that awesome older brother we all wish we had, Amajiki is that awkward-but-nice cousin (we all have one, and I'm it in my family), and Hado is that older sister who embarrasses you but is completely oblivious/doesn't care that she does it. TL;DR, Bakugo won't lay a hand on our green cinnamon roll ever again.**

**Also, I feel like Hado and Amajiki's relationship can be boiled down to "One: My personal space. Two: You are invading my personal space." I find this hilarious. And you all get an early Sir Nighteye and Gran Torino! Plus, my attempt at Mirio explaining One For All!**

**I really hope you all liked the interactions between Midoriya and the rest of UA's Rising Stars. Like I said before, I love writing them all together like this, but I wanted a slower scene to really build on their growing friendship. Though I'm growing particularly fond of Asui trolling Sero. No idea why, but it makes me laugh.**

**Also, about that stuff about Nana. She was the holder of One For All before All Might, so her power was probably close to his. Someone like that had to have been well known at some point, but it's likely that the government would downplay her defeat. It's not like she beat All For One in the process, so they couldn't make her into a heroic martyr. Since it's hard to completely erase someone like that, they settled for the next best thing.**

**As always, I want to remind you that you can read a completed novel by me! It's called **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. You can get the first chapter for free on my website (link in my profile), and get it as either an eBook or physical copy on Amazon! If all goes according to plan, I should have the sequel out in a few months!**

**Another way you can support me is through P-atreon (link in my profile)! If enough people donate, I won't care if it destroys my hands, I'll write a chapter of something every single week! For those of you who have donated to the appropriate tiers, thank you:**

**Serious Muffins: ****jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Krisjanis Jansons, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, Alexis Troy, John Collins, Calleo, Casey Pak, Red Bard, Ultimatrix10**

**Incredible Muffins: ****RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844, Jaeger456, killroy225, Brian McGloughlin**

**Ultra Muffins: ****Adam Costello, Jeffrey Perigo, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Classes resume! Our heroes-in-training prepare for the Sports Festival! Midoriya also faces a new source of panic: **_**Public speaking**_**!**

**Plus Muffin!**

**(I'm going to start using this one at the end of all my chapters for this story, kind of like what they do in the anime)**


	8. Try, Try Again

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. GUYS, I FIGURED IT OUT! NO, I'M NOT TELLING YOU WHAT I FIGURED OUT, ONLY THAT I FIGURED IT OUT. ENJOY DEALING WITH NOT KNOWING, I'M OFF TO ADD THIS TO MY VILLAIN APPLICATION RESUME.**

**Wow. First off all, I really want to thank you for the massive uptick in favorites, follows and positive reviews over the last few weeks. It really makes me feel good to know that you guys like my writing. Honestly, I'm just glad that I'm able to send this stuff to you. It's pretty hard to get internet up here on the moon. Not because of distance, but because the aliens I'm rooming with are really reluctant to give up their wi-fi password, and they change it all the time.**

**Also, here are some time-skips, because I'm not covering every single day leading up to the Sports Festival.**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 8

Try, Try Again

Class 1-A was still a little subdued as they entered the classroom; for many, a small part of their experience at school would be forever tainted by what happened at the USJ. However, for Midoriya and his friends, things were a little easier; they had talked it over, both in person and over the phone, and while they were far from completely recovered, they walked into school with their heads held high.

"Do you think we'll get a substitute for Homeroom?" Sero asked as he and the rest of his friends sat down.

"Probably, ribbit." Other than a slight shift of her eyebrows, Asui's expression hardly changed. "Aizawa-sensei was in bad shape when Mineta and I got him out of there."

The doors slid open, and a familiar, if bandaged, figure walked in. "Everyone, take your seats. I'm too tired to deal with your nonsense."

Everyone was too surprised to see Aizawa to do more than numbly sit down. The man had bandages on both arms, while his right was in a sling; only his face was exposed, which allowed an unobstructed view of his expression. The poor man looked even more tired than they had ever seen.

"Aizawa-sensei," Asui croaked, "it's good to see you, but are you sure you should be up, ribbit?"

Aizawa shrugged as he sat behind his desk. "The old lady just wants me to take it easy. It's not like I'm going on patrol until I'm fully recovered." He paused, as if realizing something. "There's a lesson for you—Heroes need to be at the top of their game, and they can't do that if they're hurt. If you're recovering from anything but the most minor of injuries, don't go out in the field again until a doctor says you can."

"Yes, Aizawa-sensei!" the class said dutifully.

"Anyway, I have an important announcement." Aizawa stretched out his neck before continuing. "The UA Sports Festival is coming up soon, and you all will want to be ready."

The students immediately began chatting amongst themselves excitedly. The Sports Festival was one of the biggest events of the year, with the entire country watching. Pro Heroes often used it as a way to scout for new talent; many a successful Hero got their start as a Sidekick because they made a good showing at the Sports Festival.

"As you all know, you'll all have exactly three chances at doing well in the Sports Festival during your time at UA," Aizawa continued, after a withering glare made the students quiet down. "However, the sooner you do well, the better your futures will be, so I suggest you start strong. Until the Sports Festival begins, every other day will include physical training, Quirk training, tactics, and so on. This is on top of your regular classes, so look at this as a good indicator of how well you're doing as a student. If you can't handle schoolwork and increased training, you might want to reconsider being Heroes." He coughed into his less-injured hand. "Also, you're encouraged to train out of class, provided it's of the non-Quirk variety; study groups will help with that."

Midoriya and his friends shared a conspiratorial smile; in that regard, they were ahead of the game.

"Anyway, that's what I wanted to say." Aizawa promptly leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "If you've got homework you haven't finished, do it now; you've got the rest of this class."

As Midoriya and his friends shifted their desks to move closer, Ashido brought out her half-finished math homework.

"Midori, you said you'd help me with this," she whined. "You want me to be in the Sports Festival, right?"

Midoriya rolled his eyes, especially when he saw the answers Ashido had already written down. "I expect you to be in the final event, actually. Yaomomo, can you help me help her?"

Yaoyorozu gave them both a brilliant smile. "Of course!"

They all ended up helping each other—except for Yaoyorozu, who had finished all of her work early, and helped answer any questions the others had. Between her, Midoriya and Iida, everyone had their homework done and double-checked with time to spare.

"What do you think this year's Sports Festival will be like, ribbit?" Asui tapped her chin as she thought about it. "Do you think the structure will be the same?"

"I don't see why it wouldn't," Midoriya said. "It hasn't changed in years—a free-for-all, a team event, and then the bracketed fights. The only thing that changes is the specific events for the first two."

"That's not much to train for," Uraraka said nervously. "The only thing we can be sure about is combat at the end."

"That must be why they will be training us so thoroughly," Iida said with a nod. "How responsible of such a fine institution, to give us the best chance possible!"

Midoriya nodded, but then jumped when someone coughed behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see Aizawa staring at him. "Ah! Aizawa-sensei! Is something wrong?"

"No, I just forgot to tell you something, Midoriya." Aizawa actually looked like he regretted what he was about to say. "Since you got the top score at the entrance exam, that makes you the Freshman Representative. You'll have to give a short speech before the Sports Festival officially starts."

Midoriya didn't even notice that Aizawa left; he was consumed by sudden and overwhelming panic at the thought of speaking in front of thousands of people in a stadium, and then millions of others who would be watching on television _andthewallswereclosinginpleasehelp_—

"Deku-kun!" Midoriya snapped out of it when Uraraka started shaking him. "Deku-kun, can you hear me? You were trembling and sweating, and you looked like you were about to run for your life."

Midoriya took several deep breaths; he was still shaking when Yaoyorozu gently turned him to face her.

"Midoriya, were you having a panic attack?" she asked.

"I, uh…" Midoriya lowered his eyes to his desk in shame and nodded. "I've never had to speak in front of so many people before. When I thought about it…"

Yaoyorozu nodded. "I understand. If I may offer a suggestion—"

Before she could continue, there was a commotion from outside the door. Bakugo scowled at the noise, stomped over and slammed the door open.

"What the hell do you extras want? Here to grovel at the feet of the Hero Course?"

There was a small crowd outside the classroom; Midoriya vaguely recognized some of the faces, but didn't know any of the names. He was reasonably sure that none of them were from Class 1-B, the other first-year Hero Course.

"Well, that sure doesn't leave a good impression," one boy at the front, with wild, purple hair and tired eyes, smirked. "Are all Hero Course students so arrogant, or is it just you?"

Bakugo snarled, but Kirishima dragged him back. "Sorry about that, man; seriously, I'm pretty sure it's just him. Anyway, uh, what's going on?"

The boy crossed his arms. "The word's out that this class fought real Villains last week, and we all wanted to get a look at our biggest competition for the Sports Festival."

Ashido leaned over to Midoriya. "What's he talking about?"

It took him a moment to figure it out. "Oh! Students from non-Hero courses who do well enough in the Sports Festival can earn a reevaluation and possible admittance into the Hero Course. It's not uncommon; people whose Quirks aren't suited for certain scenarios can get passed over at the entrance exams, but then go on to be successful Heroes after the Sports Festival."

Bakugo heard all of that, and sneered at the crowd. "So that's it, huh? You losers couldn't hack it the first time, so you think you can do better after we've actually practiced? Don't make me laugh!"

The purple-haired boy never lost his composure. "Just watch your backs; if you're not careful, your seats in the Hero Course could get taken by any one of us." Just as he was leaving, he looked over his shoulder. "Consider that a declaration of war."

Sero buried his head in his hands. "So this competition isn't just going to pit us against each other, we've got targets on our backs that the whole school will be gunning for? Great."

"As much as it pains me to admit, Bakugo actually raised a good point," Yaoyorozu said. "As Hero Course students, we have access to resources that allow us greater training. If we utilize those resources properly, we will have a significant advantage during the Festival. But we mustn't get complacent! The students from other courses who want to get into our class will be working harder than any of us can imagine!"

"You heard the Class President!" Iida rose to his feet and pumped his fist. "Let us show UA and the entire world exactly why we deserve to be here, and go beyond! Plus Ultra!"

The more enthusiastic students—which included everyone except Bakugo, Todoroki, and Tokoyami—all mirrored him.

"Plus Ultra!"

…

The first part of Class 1-A's accelerated training started with hand-to-hand combat. All Might himself supervised, giving pointers to various students, especially those who had no formal training before UA.

"Keep moving, young Midoriya!" All Might barked as the student was knocked onto his back by Ojiro. "If you remain in one place, all you're doing is giving your opponent time to get a good angle on you."

"Yes, All Might-sensei," Midoriya grunted, and accepted Ojiro's helping hand. Like the other students, they were wearing their gym clothes, and had been sparring in the familiar—to Midoriya, anyway—Gym Alpha.

"Would you like some more advice, Midoriya-san?" Ojiro asked politely. He had been Midoriya's opponent for the last few minutes, and had been wiping the floor with him. The point of the training was to increase every aspect of their abilities—in this case, that meant no Quirks, which was why Midoriya was getting beaten like an old rug, even with Ojiro not using his tail.

"I'll take anything at this point," Midoriya said as he rubbed his sore leg.

"I've noticed that you don't take the initiative." Ojiro stretched out his arms as he talked. "If you can't get out of that mindset, maybe you should focus on counters—using your opponent's weight and momentum against them, taking advantage of openings at the right time, that kind of thing. I don't mean to brag, but I've studied many martial arts, and I can help you." He glanced off to the side. "So would Yaomomo, I'll bet."

Midoriya followed his gaze to the neighboring ring and saw Yaoyorozu literally throw Sato over her shoulder when he charged at her. At first, he had trouble believing that she'd done that.

"Wait, no, she must have calculated his trajectory and estimated his weight, thus figuring out the best angle to throw him. If she did the math right, Sato-san would have done most of the work for her!"

"Um, Midoriya-san?" Midoriya looked up and saw Ojiro's concerned frown. "Sorry, but you were mumbling there."

Midoriya blushed. "Uh, sorry. It's a habit of mine. But, yes, I'll take any help you or Yaomomo can offer."

Across the room, Uraraka was having as much trouble with her own sparring partner. Kirishima was friendly, true, but he was strong, and Uraraka wasn't exactly a good fighter.

"Come on, Uraraka, hit me like you mean it!" Kirishima gave her a sharp-toothed grin. "If you don't put your all into a hit, your opponent is going to shrug it off, and then you'll be in trouble—like now!"

Uraraka yelped when Kirishima lifted her up as easily as if she'd used her Quirk on herself, and slammed her onto the mat. The air left her lungs, and she lay there, stunned.

"Oh, crap, are you okay?" Kirishima's face filled her vision, his smile gone. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hit you that hard."

"It's…" Uraraka took a deep breath and sat up. "It's okay, Kirishima-san; like you said, I didn't put anything into hitting you, so that's what I get, right?"

Kirishima grinned sheepishly as he helped her to her feet. "Yeah, I guess I knew what I was talking about, huh?"

"Can you, uh, show me how to _really _throw a punch?" Uraraka rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment, but Kirishima's grin became wider and more genuine.

"Sure thing! Asking for help to improve is manly as hell, Uraraka-san! I'll show you how to knock a Villain right on his ass!"

The entire class was throwing itself into its training. Even Bakugo was less verbally abrasive with his sparring partners, only shouting at them when they made obvious mistakes; it was constructive, in its own way, though he did reduce poor Koda to tears at one point.

When All Might told them all that he was proud of the progress they were making, they went home feeling vindicated—not just in their efforts, but in the decisions to be Heroes at all.

…

The next Heroics class wasn't training for the Sports Festival, but a do-over of their first Rescue Training. It was with some trepidation that Class 1-A returned to the USJ; Thirteen was there to greet them again, but instead of the Big Three, All Might joined them. Having him there did wonders for the students; after all, if Villains showed up again, the world's greatest Hero would be there from the get-go.

"Now, you're all going to be divided into groups of four," Thirteen said. "All Might and I will be watching from the observation room to provide instructions or answer questions; just use the communicators we provided you with outside."

All Might took over. "One thing you should know is that you'll be rescuing robots that will simulate real people in certain conditions—panic, injury, and so on. Since this is your first time doing this, this lesson is more to gauge how _you _react, and what you do. Further lessons will provide details on first aid, on-the-spot trauma counseling, that sort of thing. Good luck to you all!"

Midoriya was grouped with Tokoyami, Sero, and Asui; he shared a smile with his two friends, and shared a respectful nod with Tokoyami. He then pulled up his hood—his costume had been repaired by now—and was directed towards the Landslide Zone.

"See, this is what I was hoping for," Sero said with his usual grin. "Actually helping people who need it. I mean, yeah, fighting Villains can be part of the job, but I'd rather deal with something that doesn't involve hurting someone."

"Ribbit, I feel the same way," Asui said as she stretched by hopping instead of walking.

"_I can't say the same," _Tokoyami's Quirk, Dark Shadow, said as he emerged from his partner's chest. _"I love a good fight!"_

"As Heroes, we must sometimes work outside what we are comfortable with," Tokoyami said sagely. "However, the idea of protecting the innocent from the darkness is appealing."

Midoriya shrugged. "I kind of agree with you, Tokoyami-san. There are different ways to protect people—either saving their lives from disasters, or from Villains. Either way, it's our job to make sure that everyone is safe."

When they arrived at their test zone, they found a pile of boulders, and a humanoid robot half-buried under them.

"_This is your first test," _Thirteen said into their earpieces. _"This civilian is trapped; you must free them, apply first aid, and then transport them to the evacuation area."_

Midoriya looked around until he saw a gate with a sign saying 'Evacuation' not too far off. "Well, I guess we should get started. We need to get those rocks off the robot."

"We should probably treat it like a real person, ribbit," Asui said. "Or else we might not try as hard."

"Right." Midoriya took a deep breath, and then hurried over to the robot. "Don't worry, sir, we'll get you out of here as soon as we can! You're going to be fine!"

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Sero asked as he put on his helmet.

Midoriya looked at the pile of boulders. "We can't just push them off, they might roll on top of the civilian. Sero, Tokoyami-san, can you two secure as much of the pile as possible? Tsuyu, grab the civilian and get ready to pull as soon as I move the rocks directly on top of him."

Tokoyami and Sero nodded first; the former had Dark Shadow wrap his arms around one section of stones, while the latter secured more with a thick web of tape. Asui hopped over to the robot and gave it a reassuring smile—which was strange, considering how blank she usually kept her features—and wrapped her tongue around its torso. Midoriya activated the Ultimatrix and cycled through his aliens until he found the one he wanted.

"FOUR ARMS!" After cracking all of his knuckles, Four Arms braced himself against the boulders that were actually touching the robot. "Okay, everyone get ready; those rocks could come down any second. On three, okay? One, two, _three_!"

With a mighty heave, Four Arms shifted the boulders; the rest of the pile shuddered, but Sero and Tokoyami were prepared. Some of the smaller rocks started to fall, but Asui had already moved the robot to a safe distance.

"It's all coming down!" Sero shouted.

"Sero, get to Tsuyu and cover her!" Four Arms braced himself. "Tokoyami, we need to block those rocks!"

Tokoyami jumped to the side and behind Four Arms. "Understood! Dark Shadow!"

"_I'm on it!" _The sentient Quirk readied his claws, just as several boulders started rolling towards them.

Four Arms' punches shattered the larger rocks, while Dark Shadow swept aside the smaller ones. The landslide only lasted a few seconds, but it felt far longer; when it was over, even the stoic Tokoyami was a little rattled.

"So, was that your first rockslide too?" Midoriya asked when he turned back to normal.

Tokoyami nodded. "I can't say it was pleasant, but at least it was in as close to a controlled environment as possible."

"_Hey, speak for yourself!" _Dark Shadow didn't have a mouth, but he sounded pleased. _"I got to punch a seismic event! How often do you get to say you did that?"_

"He's not wrong," Midoriya admitted as they walked over to Sero, Asui, and the robot. "How's the civilian?"

"I've wrapped up his legs with my tape," Sero reported seriously. "According to him, both his legs might be broken. We need to get him to the evacuation zone quickly—my tape might be good for keeping his bones from moving around, but he'll lose circulation if we don't hurry."

Midoriya nodded. "Okay, Tokoyami-san, could Dark Shadow hold the civilian steady? Sero, Tsuyu and I will watch out for more rockslides."

Thankfully, the rest of the walk was without incident, and they delivered the robot safely. As soon as they walked through the gate, several more robots—dressed up as nurses—hurried over and took the 'victim' from them.

"_Excellent work," _Thirteen complimented. _"You could have reacted faster at the very beginning, but you were still quick to treat this as a real emergency, and a real civilian. You utilized your Quirks well, and your teamwork was commendable. Well done; please take a moment to rest, and then head to the Shipwreck Zone."_

Midoriya and Asui shared an uncomfortable look; that was where they had really fought Villains for the first time, and though they had emerged unscathed, it was far from a pleasant memory.

When they arrived at the next test, it was All Might who spoke in their ears. _"Students! This time, the civilian is on a sinking ship. You have five minutes to rescue them; there is a small boat on the shore, but use your best judgment to succeed! Oh, and I should probably mention that this test is on an individual basis, and will be reset after each attempt. Your time starts as soon as you either step onto the small boat, or begin using your Quirk!"_

"Is it just me, or does All Might not seem like he knows what he's doing sometimes, ribbit?"

Midoriya chuckled. "W-well, he did have those flashcards during the Battle Training. Maybe he's still new to being a teacher?"

Tokoyami stepped forward first, but he took one look at the boat they were supposed to use and shook his head. "Sensei, I am afraid that I have no experience in using a motorboat; I believe I could figure it out, given time, but in this case, that is time I do not have. I believe my best recourse would be to find another Hero whose Quirk or knowledge is better suited for this test."

"_Not to worry, young Tokoyami! Admitting your weaknesses is no weakness at all! Many Heroes are unsuited for certain environments or conditions; you won't see Mount Lady trying to get people out of a cave-in, for example! You'll be docked points for not trying, of course, but you'll get some back for such a responsible decision."_

Tokoyami bowed, and then stepped aside. Sero went next, and he actually knew how to start the boat's engine; he was able to get to the sinking ship, climb up and rescue the civilian—another robot—and get back with seconds to spare.

Asui and Midoriya had the easiest time of it. Asui just jumped into the water and swam over to the ship, then carried the civilian over the water with her tongue as she swam back. Midoriya turned into Water Hazard and did something similar; he had the robot wrap its arms around his neck as he became a living speedboat.

When it came to the Conflagration Zone, a cityscape that was almost completely on fire, it was Asui who bowed out. Her physiology was too easily dried out by the fire, and waited patiently outside for the others to rescue civilians from burning buildings. When it was Midoriya's turn, he surprised Tokoyami and Sero by turning into Heatblast.

"Hey, are you sure you want to just add more fire to the hellscape?" Sero asked.

Heatblast smiled sheepishly. "Actually, I can absorb fire _and _shoot it back in this form."

The two boys—and one sentient Quirk—watched as Heatblast calmly walked into a burning building. The fire flowed into his body, much like iron dust flowed to a magnet; when the flame died down, Heatblast walked back out with the civilian close behind him.

Sero and Tokoyami had less dramatic, but no less successful rescues. They were both able to pull their civilians through windows with little difficulty, though Dark Shadow looked a little miserable when he withdrew back inside Tokoyami.

"He is strengthened by darkness, and weakened by light," Tokoyami explained. "The fire does provide some shadows, but it is more detrimental than helpful."

After the Conflagration Zone, they went to the Downpour Zone. It was the opposite of the previous test in every way; the false city was bombarded by stinging rain, and it was difficult to see very far.

This time, Sero pulled out; he explained that his tape would become soaked and easily torn in this weather. However, while Midoriya rescued his civilian from a flooding car easily enough with Humungousaur, it was Asui and Tokoyami who stole the show.

Asui was almost completely unaffected by the rain, though she did complain that it was a little cold as she brought her civilian back. In the darkness, Dark Shadow thrived, growing twice as large as normal and easily ripping open the door to the flooding basement that housed the last civilian.

Though there were other test areas, the four of them were called back to the entrance after that. All Might was there, along with Uraraka—whose costume was now repaired—Sato, Shoji and Hagakure, handing out mugs of hot chocolate.

"The Downpour Zone is usually the last test of the day," All Might said as the cold students warmed themselves up. "Students don't like doing more when they're cold and wet."

Uraraka, who was drying herself off with a towel, nodded. "Yeah, it wasn't fun. Poor Hagakure got stuck, and we couldn't find her for a while."

"It was awful!" Hagakure wailed; she was bundled up with several towels, but was still shivering. "I mean, Shoji-san found me—thanks, by the way!—but I was stuck in the worst rain ever, and all I have are my gloves and boots!"

Midoriya blushed, and with his hood down, it was impossible to hide; so she really _wasn't _wearing any clothes. "M-maybe y-you could ask the S-Support D-Department to make you a costume that w-works with your Quirk?"

"I tried!" Hagakure sniffed, like she was about to cry. "Power Loader-sensei said that my Quirk was tricky, and they were still working on a costume that could turn invisible."

All Might reached out to pat her, but then pulled back; after all, since Hagakure was invisible, he couldn't be completely sure _where _he was patting her. "I'll put in a word with the Support Department and see if they can't put more focus on helping you, young Hagakure."

"Thanks, All Might-sensei! You're the best!"

All Might gave her his usual grin, and then turned to Midoriya's group. "You'll receive individual scores and feedback later, but I want you all to know now that you did admirably."

Sero shrugged. "Thanks, but Midoriya was the only one who was able to do every test, so I guess he got the highest score."

"Not necessarily," All Might corrected. "While it is true that young Midoriya's Quirk makes him incredibly versatile, that comes with its own weakness. You'll get a more in-depth explanation in your review, young Midoriya, but something I noticed was that you often hesitated for a few seconds before choosing your form. Your sheer number of options is a bit overwhelming, yes?"

"Th-that's right, All Might-sensei," Midoriya admitted. "I have a few forms that, uh, compete for certain situations—I need to work on making snap decisions."

All Might ruffled his hair. "Better to be aware of this now, than when it matters in a life-or-death situation."

Midoriya saw Ben in the corner of his eye; the hologram nodded. "He's right, buddy; when lives are on the line, you should have a 'favorites list' or something. If that doesn't work in the beginning, just slap the dial again and get the alien you need."

Midoriya nodded. "Got it."

…

When it came to Quirk combat, everyone wanted Midoriya as their sparring partner. All of his aliens meant that, if the other students needed to work on something in particular, he probably had a form that could help.

One of his first matches was against Kirishima, who had practically begged him to use Four Arms.

"Please, Midoriya?" The other boy was grinning almost maniacally. "I know a form like that would be really good for strengthening my Quirk, and I could use some experience fighting a guy with multiple limbs."

Midoriya sighed, and shot an exasperated look at Uraraka when she giggled. "Fine, but if I do this, I can't start off with my best punches. We need to see how much your Hardening can take; I don't want to hurt you by accident."

"You got it!" Kirishima flexed, and his entire body took on a craggy, rocky appearance—even his hair looked like it had been roughly carved from stone. "Bring it on, Midoriya!"

After transforming, Four Arms brought one fist down right on top of Kirishima's guard. The blow sent him skidding back a few inches, but he stood tall.

"Come on, I barely felt that!" Kirishima's grin grew even wider. "If I'm gonna get better, I need to push my Quirk past its limit!"

Four Arms grimaced, but then Ben appeared in front of him. "You heard the guy. Stop treating your classmates like glass; they want to be Heroes just as much as you do."

"All right, fine." Four Arms cocked back two of his fists, and Ben vanished. "I hope you're as tough as you think you are, Kirishima!"

Both fists smashed through Kirishima's guard and into his chest. To Four Arms' surprise, the blow wasn't enough to knock Kirishima out of his Hardening, though it did send him flying through the air and into a far wall. It took him a moment, but Kirishima pulled himself free; when he did, he looked ecstatic.

"That's what I'm talking about, Midoriya! But don't think I'll just let you keep on hitting me; I want to show you what _I've _got!"

Not everyone in the class was sparring at the same time. Jiro was sitting on a bench, drinking some water as she watched Four Arms and Kirishima go at it.

"You know, Midoriya never struck me as the meathead type," she commented.

Yaoyorozu shrugged; Jiro tried not to feel jealous of how graceful the other girl made such a simple gesture look.

"I don't think he is," Yaoyorozu said. "He may just be doing what Kirishima wants. Though Midoriya could stand to be a bit more aggressive, I suppose. With Kirishima, he _has _to be, or else he won't win; I think Kirishima knows this, which is why he's encouraging Midoriya so much."

Jiro just raised an eyebrow. "Or it has something to do with 'being manly' that he's always talking about."

"That could also be it," Yaoyorozu admitted.

"Changing topics a bit, I heard that some of our class is studying at your place?"

"Oh, yes—well, sort of. We haven't actually done any academic work yet, but we agreed that we should all get together and study when we had to. If we're not studying… I suppose we're just spending time together."

Jiro nodded. "Do you think I could get in on that? I'm having trouble with some of my homework, and I don't want to fall behind."

Yaoyorozu smiled. "Of course! I'm sure everyone would be happy to have you—look out!"

Before Jiro could think, Yaoyorozu tackled her to the side; an instant later, a Kirishima-shaped missile crashed into the spot Jiro had been sitting.

"Oh, man!" Four Arms turned back to normal as he jogged up to them. "I'm sorry! I didn't know you were there, and I was trying out a counter that Ojiro-san showed me, and—"

"It's all right, Midoriya," Yaoyorozu said as she helped Jiro to her feet. "We're fine."

"Yeah, don't worry about it." Jiro gave him a thumbs-up. "Hey, Kirishima, you okay?"

"I'm good," Kirishima said weakly as he got to his feet. "Just got my bell rung. Give me a minute, and I'll be good to go again."

Yaoyorozu coughed into her hand. "Perhaps you two could not destroy school property this time?"

The two boys looked at the shattered remains of the bench the girls had been sitting on and blushed.

…

During the weekend, Midoriya and his friends met up at the Yaoyorozu home again, this time to get their homework done. Waiting for them was not only Yaoyorozu herself, but also Jiro; they had all been informed that Jiro had been invited as well, and no one had a problem. The petite girl had admitted that she wasn't sure about hanging out all the time, but she had nothing against studying with her classmates.

Midoriya didn't mind, since group hangouts weren't for everyone; he still wasn't sure about it himself, beyond his immediate friends.

That reminded him of something he'd been putting off until now, actually. "Hey, Yaomomo?"

Yaoyorozu looked up from her review of Uraraka's chemistry homework. "Yes, Izuku?"

"What were you going to say before, about speaking in front of so many people?" The thought still made him start to spiral into a panic, but Uraraka grabbed his hand before he got too far.

"Oh, it's something simple that I found worked for me." Yaoyorozu produced a spare piece of paper from her arm and drew a large circle; just outside it, she drew a small dot. "The circle is all the people you're addressing, and the dot is you."

That didn't make Midoriya feel better, but Yaoyorozu wasn't done. She drew a much smaller circle on the side closest to the dot.

"This small circle represents the people you're focusing on. They don't have to be physically present, but I've found that it's much easier to say a speech to people you care about. It helps tune out everyone else."

Midoriya looked at the drawing and thought about it. Everyone would hear him, but who did he really want to address? To be honest, it really boiled down to those who had helped him so far—Ben, his mother, Nezu, the Big Three, and the friends around him now. Despite knowing most of the people on that list for barely two weeks now, he trusted them. They had stood up for him when they had barely known him, and they had faced very real dangers together. That formed a bond that he wouldn't easily give up.

"Thanks, Yaomomo," he said. "That… really helps."

Yaoyorozu smiled warmly. "I'm glad to hear it."

Midoriya started to pull his hand free from Uraraka's—though, for some reason, he was reluctant to—when his thumb accidentally brushed hers, which she'd kept free. Now under the effect of her Quirk, Midoriya started to float away.

"Ah! I'm sorry!" Uraraka blushed in embarrassment, but waited until Asui and Jiro secured the boy with tongue and earphone jacks, respectively, before releasing her Quirk. "Maybe I should start wearing gloves more often."

Ashido snickered. "If you're gonna keep holding Midori's hand, that might be a good idea."

Most of the group laughed, while Midoriya and Uraraka avoided eye-contact for the rest of the day.

…

The next week passed, and each day brought more and more anxiety for Class 1-A. It was bad for most of them, but UA's Rising Stars were able to keep themselves grounded, either by talking to each other at school, or messaging each other. On the night before the Sports Festival, they had one more chance for the latter.

Book: Is everyone ready?

Comet: I am!

Crayon: bring it on!

Glasses: I look forward to giving my all.

Tape: Man, I'm so excited!

Frog: Me too, ribbit.

All Might: I'm still really nervous.

Crayon: don't be, Midori! U r awesome, and I no u will do well!

All Might: Thanks. I think we all will.

Comet: I know! Let's make a promise.

All Might: ?

Glasses: ?

Tape: ?

Book: ?

Crayon: ?

Frog: ? Ribbit

Tape: DAMMIT

Comet: Let's all promise to meet up in the final round. Even if we have to face each other then, we'll still all be there together!

Crayon: aw, that's sweet, Ochako! U got a deal!

Book: I agree! None of us are allowed to not make it to the final event.

Tape: Is that an order from the Class President?

Book: Yes.

All Might: Seconded by the Vice President!

All Might: Actually, there's something I want to say now, in case we don't have time tomorrow.

All Might: It's kind of obvious, but I'm not very… social. You all are the first real friends I've ever had. I know we haven't known each other that long, but I'm sure that I wouldn't be able to do what I've done without you. So… thanks.

Comet: *sniff* Deku-kun, that's so sweet! You're totally welcome.

Book: I agree, and echo that sentiment. You are all my best friends.

Crayon: dang it, im gonna cry! Now I have 2 reasons to make it to the last round

Tape: ^

Glasses: ^

Frog: You're welcome, Izuku. I was hoping for a declaration of love for Ochako, but what you said was nice, ribbit.

Book: Tsu! You just ruined the moment.

Tape: Eh, we were getting a little too emotional anyway. Thanks for lightening the mood, Tsuyu.

Frog: Ribbit.

Tape: OH COME ON, THAT ONE WASN'T EVEN ATTACHED TO ANYTHING!

Crayon: um, Midori and Ochako haven't said anything. They ok?

Glasses: Going by past experience, I would say that Izuku is probably having a breakdown from Tsuyu's comment, and Ochako is floating through the air.

Frog: Tension broken, mission accomplished. Goodnight, everyone, and good luck tomorrow.

Frog: Ribbit.

Tape: Why? Just… you know what? I'm going to bed. Frogs are going to haunt my nightmares now, I just know it.

**Public speaking sucks. That coping tactic Yaomomo suggested is something I used to do in high school. Thankfully, I didn't need to speak to groups larger than a classroom, but even that was terrifying. Poor Midoriya has to make a speech in front of an entire stadium.**

**Aside from that, this chapter was just a bunch of snippets of the time leading up to the Sports Festival. Don't expect chapters like this again, but I kind of wanted to hurry things up a bit. The Sports Festival itself will be broken up into several chapters, obviously; the last round in particular may take a few chapters, especially since I've got some interesting stuff planned out. Not just for the competition, but events outside of it.**

**As always, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. You can find it on Amazon as both an eBook and physical copy. Sales help me, and you all get something more to read!**

**Other ways you can help is by donating on P-atreon (link in my profile). Donating means just a little bit less stress for me, and if I get enough to live off it, expect me to write fan fiction all the freaking time. No, seriously, I'm probably going to be homeless at the rate I'm going, and I can't find a job.**

**Thanks to those who are trying to help me:**

**Serious Muffins:**** jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Krisjanis Jansons, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, Alexis Troy, John Collins, Calleo, Casey Pak, Red Bard, Ultimatrix10**

**Incredible Muffins:**** RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844, Jaeger456, killroy225, Brian McGloughlin**

**Ultra Muffins:**** Adam Costello, Jeffrey Perigo, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: The Sports Festival begins, and interested parties watch from the shadows…**

**Plus Muffin!**


	9. Race to Victory

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I THINK I'D RATHER BE A CYBORG THAN HAVE ACTUAL POWERS. NO REASON WHY, OTHER THAN THAT CYBORGS ARE AWESOME.**

**Now that this arc is officially starting, I have a present for you! An intro! It's my own spin on the MHA intro, and a new one will drop every time the arc changes. No real reason why I didn't start the story with one, I just didn't want to. Oh, and I'm not going to put in the transliteration, because I'd probably unintentionally butcher it. You can listen to the TV-sized opening while reading the intro.**

**Got it? Got it. Let's get started.**

_(Peace Sign—Kenshi Yonezu, TV version)_

_The music starts with Midoriya sitting on a bench, cycling through his aliens. He then nods and gets up; Ben appears next to him and grins. The title 'My Alien Academia' appears, with the word 'Alien' in green._

_The scene shifts to Midoriya walking through the halls of school, where he meets the rest of UA's Rising Stars. All of them are in their gym clothes. Uraraka is the first to run over to Midoriya and grabs his hands in excitement; she accidentally uses her Quirk and makes him float, and a flailing Midoriya is quickly brought down to the ground by Asui's tongue as Uraraka releases her Quirk, very embarrassed, while the others smile or laugh. All of them start walking towards the stadium in the background._

_The scene changes to focus on Midoriya's face; above him, different people can be seen looking down at him in rapid shots. First are All Might, Nezu, Gran Torino and Sir Nighteye. Next are the Big Three. Finally, there is a silhouette of a man holding up his left arm; on his forearm is a green hourglass symbol. Behind him are many more silhouettes. The music picks up pace as both the silhouette and Midoriya bring their hands down on their respective dials._

_Another scene change, and Midoriya is now Wildmutt, and is charging across an arena. The others in UA's Rising Stars are fighting unknown opponents. Yaoyorozu creates a metal staff, Uraraka plunges downward with one hand outstretched, Asui whips her tongue to the side, Sero drags himself forward on his tape, with one leg extended in a kick, Ashido swipes her arms down to create an acid attack shaped like an X, and Iida sprints forward with his boosters at full power._

_There are more rapid shots, revealing Hatsume, Shinso, Class 1-B, Bakugo screaming as he attacks, and Todoroki surrounded by freezing air, staring at Midoriya._

_The intro ends with Class 1-A in their costumes. UA's Rising Stars are in the front, and Midoriya slams his hand down on the Ultimatrix._

My Alien Academia

Chapter 9

Race to Victory

Izuku tried to start his day like he would any other—he got up, showered, ate his breakfast, brushed his teeth, and tried not to think about everything that could go wrong.

"What if I mess up my speech? What if I don't move on from the first event? What if I make a fool of myself?"

Ben shared an exasperated look with Inko; the boy had been like that all morning.

"Hey, buddy?" Izuku glanced up at Ben. "Maybe you should ask yourself _these _questions instead: What if your speech goes off without a hitch? What if you win the whole thing? What if you look awesome in front of the whole country?"

Izuku blinked; he… hadn't really thought about it like that. He often focused on the worst possible scenarios, and never the best.

"That… that would be cool," he admitted.

Ben gestured toward him in a 'there you go' manner. "All right, then make it happen. Simple as that."

Izuku smiled; it was tiny, but it was there. "Are you sure you're a tutorial program for heroes, and not a counselor?"

Ben grinned right back. "Dude, I've had to deal with you for almost a year now. I am more than capable of learning."

Inko laughed. "Okay, boys, that's enough; if you don't hurry, you'll miss the train, and I'm sure you don't want that today of all days."

"Right, thanks, Mom!" Izuku darted off to finish getting ready.

Inko turned to Ben. "How do you think he'll do?"

"Honestly?" Ben shrugged. "I don't know. He's been training, and he's got good instincts, but a lot of his competition has spent most of their lives getting ready for this. As long as he thinks things through and doesn't get overwhelmed, I think he'll do fine. If he's smart, he'll win the whole thing."

Inko nodded. "Thank you." Her son, now ready, ran past her towards the door. "Oh, Izuku!"

"Yeah, Mom?" Izuku was surprised when his mother hugged him tightly.

"I don't know if I've said this before, but I want to apologize," Inko said. "When you found out you were Quirkless, and asked me if you could still be a Hero, all I said was that I was sorry. I want you to know now, even if you'd never found that watch, that I am so proud of you. I'm proud of the Hero that I _know _you'll be. I love you so much, Izuku."

Izuku tried to hold back his tears as he hugged her back. "Thanks, Mom. I love you too."

Inko rubbed her eyes as she stepped back. "Now, go out there and show the whole world what I already know."

Izuku nodded and left the house, but Ben's hologram stayed behind. "I'll keep an eye on him, just in case."

"Thank you," Inko said. "But, please, try to enjoy yourself while you're at the Sports Festival."

Ben grinned. "Hey, helping your son is my primary function; doing that makes me happy."

Inko was about to argue with him, but Ben suddenly flickered wildly for a moment. "What was that?"

Ben looked down at his hands. "Oh, Izuku is pushing the limits of how far I can extend my hologram. No big deal. I'll see you after the Festival is over!"

Inko smiled as Ben vanished, never knowing that he had just lied to her face.

…

Midoriya's leg nervously bounced up and down as he and the rest of Class 1-A waited for their turn to head to the arena entrance. As soon as they had arrived at UA, they had been directed to change into their gym clothes and wait. For most of them, costumes and Support Items were banned in the interest of fairness, but some, like Aoyama and Midoriya, kept the latter, since they needed them in order to use their abilities at all.

"Relax, Midoriya," Yaoyorozu said for the tenth time. "Just keep doing those breathing exercises, or focus on something else, like Quirk analysis."

Midoriya nodded shakily. "Y-you're right, Yaomomo." He pulled out his newest notebook and started jotting something down. "I needed to write down some ideas I wanted to run by Uraraka for her Quirk later."

Uraraka leaned over to read his notes. "Ooh, can I see?"

Midoriya leaned back; Uraraka hadn't realized how close her face was to his. "Uh, it was going to be a surprise!"

That wasn't completely true, but it did make Uraraka move back without him having to be rude. "Cool! I can't wait!"

"Midoriya." Todoroki's voice behind him made Midoriya jump, and he turned around. The other boy was standing with his arms at his sides, his fists clenched.

"Y-yes, Todoroki-san?" Midoriya stood up; something told him that Todoroki was on edge, and he wanted to be ready.

"I don't think I'd be too far off the mark if I said you were the strongest student in our class." Todoroki's gaze sharpened to a razor's edge. "In fact, outside of the Big Three, you might be the most powerful student in the entire school."

Midoriya opened his mouth to say something, but Todoroki kept going.

"That's why I want to challenge you. Here, in the Sports Festival, I want to prove that I can beat anyone without breaking my oath." He turned and walked away. "That's all I wanted to say."

"If that's the case," Midoriya found himself saying, and Todoroki stopped. "Then I should say something too—I'm going to do my best to win out there. If you and I go against each other, just know that I won't give you an easy win."

For an instant, Todoroki's expression could almost be called amused. "I'd be disappointed if you did."

On the other side of the room, Kirishima kept a firm grasp on Bakugo's shoulder. The other boy was twitching in barely-contained fury.

_What does that Icy-Hot bastard think he's doing!? He called out Deku, but not me!? That nerd is the only one who's beaten me at anything in this school, and my grades are even better! Fuck, Deku is only the third-best student in the class, behind me and Ponytail! Icy-Hot should be challenging _all _of the top students, not just Deku! _Bakugo's fists tightened so hard that it hurt. _I'll show him it was a mistake to underestimate me._

Once Todoroki had returned to his corner, Midoriya sank back into his chair. Sero tapped his shoulder.

"Dude, you okay?"

Midoriya nodded shakily. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Todoroki-san was just… really intense."

Sero glanced back at the boy in question. "What was that oath he mentioned?"

"Ah, I believe I know." Iida pushed up his glasses. "I recall Todoroki-san saying that he refused to use the fire-related part of his Quirk during combat, and would only use ice."

Yaoyorozu frowned. "Why would he handicap himself like that?"

"I don't know, ribbit," Asui said. "I just hope I don't have to fight him. I don't like cold."

Ashido huffed a laugh. "I don't think any of us want to fight Todoroki. I mean, I guess I _could_ melt his ice, like we talked about."

During the last time they were all at Yaoyorozu's house, they had created scenarios where they had to fight their classmates—or 'people with Quirks like those of our classmates', as Midoriya had politely put it. For Ashido, it depended on whether or not her acid would give out before Todoroki's ice.

Further conversation was halted when an announcement came up in their room, telling them all to head to the arena's entrance. As the students filed out, Midoriya and his friends lingered.

"So… good luck, everyone," he said. "Whatever happens, we're still friends, right?"

"Of course we are, silly!" Ashido wrapped her arms around him. "Come on, guys; group hug before we head out!"

Yaoyorozu and Sero were quick to join in. Uraraka snagged Iida and dragged him into the hug before he could back out, and Asui hugged him from behind so that he couldn't pull free. Midoriya went red-faced for a moment, especially with Ashido, Uraraka and Yaoyorozu directly pressed against him, but he quickly found himself drawing comfort from the group hug. It was nice beyond words to have people who genuinely cared about him, and he cared for them just as much.

"All right, everyone," Midoriya said, with more confidence than he'd had before. "Let's show everyone what the Rising Stars can do!"

His friends all raised a fist into the air. "Yeah!"

…

"_And now, the indomitable students who fought off Villains on their first week of school, let's give a big hand for Class 1-A!"_

Upon hearing Present Mic's words, Midoriya and Yaoyorozu led their class out into the open air. Midoriya resisted the urge to shield his eyes from the bright morning light, as well as the urge to shrink in on himself as thousands of people applauded and cheered.

"Oh, wow!" Uraraka looked around in obvious awe. "I knew there would be a lot of people, but actually being here makes it all so real, right?"

Midoriya didn't answer; he was doing his best to keep his mind on his speech—more importantly, he was trying to stay focused on who he was giving the speech to.

Class 1-A took its place at the head of the hundreds of students who were competing in the Sports Festival. Midoriya noted the purple-haired boy from before among the General Studies classes; said boy smirked as the Hero Course students assembled, but his eyes were sharp and calculating.

"_And now, introducing the referee for the Freshman events this year, it's the R-Rated Hero: Midnight!"_

Midoriya had seen Midnight before; she was the Art History teacher, and she was actually quite good at her job. That was surprising, though it did lend credence to the old phrase 'don't judge a book by its cover'. She was a beautiful woman, with long, dark hair, slanted glasses, and a skintight outfit that left little to the imagination; to make her even more provocative, she increased the potency of her Quirk by exposing more skin, which meant that she would often tear parts of her costume.

As Midnight walked up to the podium, she struck a pose and winked. "All of you better behave, or you'll be _punished_."

Even Mineta looked nervous when Midnight swept her hungry gaze across the crowd of students.

"If she's R-Rated, should she really be teaching at a high school?" asked one student, who obviously didn't attend any of her classes.

Midnight glared at the student in question and waved her flogger-style whip. "Hey! My teaching credentials are completely above the radar!" She quickly composed herself and brought the microphone up to her mouth. "Now, Freshman Representative Midoriya Izuku, come on up here and say a few words!"

Midoriya took a deep breath; this was it. He started walking towards Midnight—he thought that Uraraka had brushed her hand against his as he moved past, but he figured that he'd just imagined it.

Despite how she usually acted, Midnight did care about her students, so when the microphone couldn't pick up her words, she gave him a small, understanding smile.

"Good luck, Midoriya-san; just remember to breathe."

Midoriya nodded, and remembered what Yaoyorozu had advised. He focused not on the cameras that were broadcasting his image across Japan—and much of the world—and not on the throngs of people in the stands. He didn't even focus on most of the other students in front of him; instead, he focused on the six people—and one hologram—present whom he could safely call his best friends.

"Everyone expects us to give our best today," he began. "The world wants us to put on a good show, and UA wants us to make our school proud. Naturally, we're going to do that." The joking tone in his voice at that last part had a few people chuckling. "But, as we at UA are so fond of saying, we go beyond. Today, it's not just about making our school proud, it's about making _ourselves _proud. Do the absolute best you can, shoot for the top, and no matter what happens, you'll all prove that you deserve to be students here." He raised a fist into the air. "Plus Ultra!"

His actions and words were mirrored not just by many of the students, but also a fair few in the audience, especially UA alumni. With his piece said, Midoriya headed back to his class, all the while trying not to shake uncontrollably. He'd managed to say his speech without stuttering, but all those nerves were coming back at once.

"That was great, Deku-kun!" Uraraka whispered.

Midoriya took a moment to try and steady himself. "Thanks, Uraraka; honestly, I think competing in the actual events will be less scary after all that!"

"All right, everyone!" Midnight waved behind her, and a large screen rose up from a slot in the podium. "It's time to find out what the first event will be, students! Will it be right up your alley, or will it push you to your limits?"

A number of flashing symbols and words flew across the screen, too fast for Midoriya to identify. Finally, the screen settled on two words.

"_Obstacle Course!" _Present Mic shouted. _"The aim may be simple, to get from start to finish, but that's what the obstacles are for! All students, head to the starting line! The first one back to the stadium will be the winner of the first round, and only the top forty-two will move on to the second round! Remember, use of Quirks is permitted, but any serious injuries caused to fellow competitors is grounds for elimination! Good luck, kids!" _There was a shuffling sound, followed by a tired sigh. _"Also, joining me in commentary is my fellow teacher and Pro Hero, Eraserhead!"_

"_Why am I here? Did I do something to you in a past life or something?"_

"_Probably not, or else I wouldn't have had to try so hard to get you here! Come on, where's that smile?"_

"_Dead in a ditch somewhere. Now, if you're not going to let me take a nap, let's just do our job."_

…

The third-year events were later in the day, but that didn't stop the Big Three from coming in early. They had claimed the waiting room for themselves, not because they thought they deserved it, but because they could watch their favorite first-year student compete without interruption.

"Hey, that was a great speech!" Hado floated over the boys so that she could get a better look at the footage on Togata's phone. "What do you think he'll use for the race, huh?"

Togata tapped his chin. "My first guess would be that super-fast one we saw on the first day of school, but Midoriya is full of surprises. He might have a form we haven't seen yet."

"He still hasn't shown me one of his flying ones," Hado pouted. "I want my flying buddy!"

Amajiki sighed. "To be fair, I don't think he's had a chance to use one yet. If I was him, I'd use it now, though."

Togata grinned. "I just hope the kid makes it to the second round; he can't make a big splash if he doesn't get past this one."

…

There was no more time to talk to his friends; by the time everyone had shuffled to the starting line, Midoriya had been separated from them anyway. The different classes had been purposely meshed together to prevent students from combining their efforts at the beginning. It was meant to provide a level playing field for the non-Hero students, but Midoriya admitted that he would have liked to at least start with one of his friends.

"Don't worry," Ben said from the Ultimatrix. "You've got this. You know what alien you'll use here, so don't think about anything else."

Midoriya nodded absently, and his hand rested above the dial. All he had to do was wait for—

"_Three, two, one—GO!"_

Just before Midoriya could react, cold air flooded the starting line, and then a mass of ice exploded outward, sealing up most of the entrance to the tunnel. Todoroki didn't even look back as his ice propelled him forward. However, his move wasn't enough to stop all of the students, especially those who were prepared.

"That was a dirty trick, Todoroki!" Yaoyorozu shouted as she used a long pole from her hand to vault through a gap in the ice. Sero was right behind her, as was Asui.

Bakugo blew a massive hole in the ice, and then launched himself into the air. "Get back here, Icy-Hot!"

More and more students poured through the gap Bakugo had created. In the rush to get outside, most didn't notice the green flash of light. What they _did _notice was the red blur that flew over them.

"JETRAY!"

"_Holy smokes, folks, that's Midoriya Izuku that just flew past most—scratch that, he just flew past _all _of the other students! Can we get a shot of his transformation in slow-motion, please?"_

On television screens, computers and phones, people all over the world got their first glimpse at one of Midoriya's aliens. This one looked like a red humanoid stingray, with yellow horns and wing membranes, clawed hands at the end of his wings, and jagged teeth under green eyes. Even with the camera slowing down the image, it was clear that Jetray was moving at incredible speeds.

…

Hado clapped her hands in delight. "Yes! Finally, my flying buddy is here!"

Togata grinned. "Man, can you believe that speed? He might be moving faster than All Might!"

Amajiki watched with wide eyes. "I think you're right."

…

In another part of the country, a man sat up in interest. He had been watching the Sports Festival on his phone simply because, for once, he had nothing better to do. Now, he was glad that he did, because the plain, nervous kid from the opening ceremony had suddenly turned into something almost alien in appearance. What really interested him, however, was how fast the boy was moving through the air.

He pulled a sheet of paper from his desk and scribbled out 'Midoriya Izuku', followed by a question mark. He would keep an eye on that one, and if he was lucky, one or two others in his class would catch his attention as well.

…

"_Looks like Midoriya is going to be the first to encounter the opening obstacle, ROBO INFERNO!"_

"_That's a stupid name. It sounds like they're about to dance, not stop the competitors."_

Jetray saw the robots coming before anyone else; to him, those Villain stand-ins from the entrance exam were moving in slow motion. Rather than try to fight his way through them, he just flew over them before even the zero-pointers could swat him out of the sky.

"_A logical move," _Aizawa commented. _"Midoriya now holds a sizeable lead over the others; fighting those robots would just give that lead up."_

"_And since none of the other competitors can fly like Midoriya, they'll _have _to fight their way through. Either way, the kid leading the pack is just going to keep on leading!"_

Todoroki scowled; he had thought that his initial move would give him plenty of space ahead of the others, but he was wrong. Midoriya had transformed into something perfectly suited for this race, and then took the lead—because of course he did—and more than a few of the others were hot on his tail. Bakugo was closest, but Iida and Yaoyorozu were leading the rest of the students.

Once again, Todoroki opened a path for himself by creating huge spikes of ice that drove the robots apart, and then kept on going. Bakugo blew the head off one robot that got in his way, but never actually stopped. Most of the other students were fast enough to avoid the robots, but the slower ones had to fight. One robot in particular, after getting shorted out by Kaminari, fell directly onto two students.

"Oh my god!" one student shouted in horror. "Can people actually die on this!?"

Immediately, Kirishima broke through the metal plating of the robot; he had used his Hardening to protect himself just in time. "Like hell I'd die!" he glared at Kaminari. "Dude, that wasn't cool!"

Kaminari, who had used a good deal of his Quirk to stop the robot, gave a slightly loopy smile. "Sorry."

"_Look at that, folks! That's Kirishima Eijiro of Class 1-A! With his Quirk, he's like the ultimate shield _and _the ultimate spear!"_

Another student, one who looked remarkably like Kirishima, but with metal skin, burst out from under the robot as well.

"What the hell, Class 1-A!? Anyone else might have died!"

"_And there's Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu of Class 1-B! His Quirk also turns him into the ultimate shield and ultimate spear!"_

Kirishima groaned as he began running again. "Come on, I have enough trouble standing out as it is!"

…

Up in a private booth, All Might watched the first event with Nighteye and Gran Torino. For once, he looked smug, rather than nervous alongside the other men.

"I told you he'd do well."

Nighteye merely raised an eyebrow. "Judging by your reaction when the boy transformed, that one is new to you."

"I never bet one which transformation he'd use, only that he'd do well."

Gran Torino, on the other hand, watched with interest as Midoriya crossed the second part of the race. "He's fast in that form. Actually, Toshinori, I'd say he's faster than you were in your prime; going by his movements, he's probably not as maneuverable as you were, but if it came down to a race down a straight path, my money would be on him."

All Might nodded, a little more serious now. "I can think of maybe one or two other Heroes who can come close to that kind of speed these days, and that's being generous."

"How many Heroes do you think will send him offers?" Nighteye asked, less out of actual interest, and more because longer conversations between them were still rare. "Many will try simply to gain the prestige of having such a unique student interning with them."

"Probably less than you'd think," Gran Torino argued. "If the boy shows off more of his forms, he might scare off a lot of the smaller agencies. They'll think he's out of their league."

All Might shrugged. "I have a feeling that many will at least make offers, but they won't expect him to accept. If I were in his position, I'd only take an internship under a Hero who is either successful, experienced, or both."

Gran Torino raised an eyebrow. "Will you make an offer, Toshinori?"

"No, as a teacher, I can't." All Might sighed wistfully. "It would be nice, though; young Midoriya knows about my true form, but he needs someone who can go out on patrol for more than a couple hours every day." He shrugged again when the other men gave him alarmed looks. "My limit has been dropping steadily, ever since I passed on One For All to young Mirio. If I push it, I can make it about two and a half hours, but I can safely manage two without feeling terrible afterwards."

Nighteye awkwardly reached out for the man's shoulder. "All Might…"

The fading Symbol of Peace smiled sadly and shook his head. "Please, let's not think about it today. I'd like to enjoy seeing the next generation of Heroes get their start."

…

"Are you kidding me!?" Uraraka asked as she made it to the second leg of the race. It was a massive canyon, interspersed with columns and ropes.

"_Welcome, students, to The Fall!" _Present Mic sounded almost gleeful. _"If you don't land right, or if you fall off, you're out! Don't worry, you _probably _won't die! But you all might want to hurry it up; Midoriya has already made it to the third and final leg of the race!"_

"Then we'd better hurry up, ribbit!" Asui hopped onto a rope and easily crossed it. "This is my time to shine!"

Uraraka used her Quirk on herself for a few seconds to get a bounding leap, but was nearly knocked off-course by a pink-haired girl who was completely decked out in Support Items.

"Hey, how come she gets all that stuff?" Sero asked as he swung from one column to another on his tape.

"I'm in the Support Course!" the girl shouted over her shoulder as she literally flew on boot-mounted thrusters. "We're allowed to use any equipment we've built!"

Uraraka released her Quirk and rolled to a safe landing on a pillar. She couldn't help but shoot an envious glance at the grappling pitons and wires the pink-haired girl was using to guide her movements.

_That would probably come in handy for me, _she mused. _Maybe I can run that idea by Deku-kun later._

She put a pin in that thought for later; as long as she made it to the next round, she could ask him without feeling like she failed.

…

"_Well, folks, I'm not sure if you're surprised that Midoriya has made it to the final stretch, but I know I'm not! Since he's flying, he can avoid the mines we set up, but we've still got a special little something for anyone whose Quirks let them fly for long periods of time! Let's hope Midoriya is as acrobatic as he is fast!"_

Jetray barely had time to wonder what Present Mic was talking about when dozens of guns emerged from underground alongside the minefield and opened fire.

_Are they trying to kill me!? _Jetray thought, but only winced when a clay pigeon glanced against his side. _Oh, I see; still hurts, though._

Rather than try to maneuver wildly through the air, Jetray focused on the pigeons that were going to be directly in his path. His eyes glowed green, and then fired bolts of energy that shattered the clay into dust.

"_Oh, now _that's _a surprise," _Present Mic commented. _"It seems Midoriya has more than speed and flight up his nonexistent sleeves!"_

"He's deliberately not mentioning that you've got more than Jetray to turn into," Ben said. "If the crowd thinks you're cool now, just wait until the next event."

"You aren't helping," Jetray muttered as he shot his way through more clay pigeons.

"You want help? Fine; the finish line is coming up in ten seconds."

"Thanks." Jetray swooped in low, under the guns' arcs of fire, and made his way into the tunnel that led back to the stadium. As a last-second idea for flair, he transformed back to human while still flying, and skidded into the stadium like it was a stage.

The crowd loved it; the stadium erupted with cheers and applause. It wasn't just the people in the audience, though. Two of the Big Three were celebrating like Midoriya had already won. Inko was sobbing uncontrollably when she saw her son on television, and halfway around the world, a man who hadn't seen his son in person in over two years couldn't stop his own tears from falling down his face.

…

Midoriya was receiving attention from more than just friendly parties, though. In his cramped room, Shigaraki Tomura glared hatefully at the boy who was tentatively waving to the crowd. He remembered the pain of diamond shards hitting his arm, and his hands rose to his neck as he scratched his skin bloody.

"That brat," he hissed. "I can't believe Sensei wants me to watch this crap. Even if it means I can study that freak's Quirks, all I want is for him to lose."

…

A fair distance away from the stadium, two more people watched the Sports Festival. One was a young man, and the other was a girl in her late teens.

"Not bad," the man said.

"You say that like he was challenged," the girl said, unimpressed. "In fact, I don't think _anyone _in his class was slowed down much."

"Still, it looks like he's being responsible with the Ultimatrix, so he probably met the criteria for the selection. Azmuth will be happy, anyway, considering he double-checked the parameters, so—huh."

The girl gave him a slightly alarmed look. "What is it?"

"Something else is going on. I'll be right back; let me know if I miss anything cool." There was a flash of green light, and the man vanished.

The girl scoffed. "Showoff."

…

"_That's our first-place winner, folks! Midoriya Izuku has taken the Sports Festival by storm! He not only won the first event with a huge gap between him and the other competitors, he may have set a record for first-year students! What do you think, my not-so-enthusiastic co-commentator?"_

"_I think Midoriya isn't the only one to watch out for. Just because he won the first event doesn't mean he'll continue to do well."_

"He's got a point," Ben said. "Don't get cocky."

"Right, I got it." Midoriya had no plans to underestimate anyone; in his mind, anyone's Quirk could beat his aliens if properly utilized, so he _had _to be careful.

Midoriya's lead was so far ahead of the others that he had a few minutes to kick back and relax. It gave him time to think about something that he'd been toying with since before the Sports Festival began.

"Hey, Ben?" he said, barely moving his lips to avoid looking crazy.

"Yeah?" Ben appeared in front of him, holding up a green foam finger that had 'Go Midoriya!' printed on it.

"I… want you to stop giving me advice for the Festival."

The foam finger vanished, and Ben raised an eyebrow. "If you want, sure, but I'd like to know why."

"This is… this is my chance to really prove myself _to _myself, if that makes sense. I want to show that I can do things without you or someone else holding my hand."

To his surprise, Ben smiled with obvious pride. "Izuku, I've been hoping you'd do that at some point."

"Really?"

"Yeah! My entire purpose is to get you started, not guide you through every step. Once you can really stand on your own two feet, then I will have achieved my primary directive. As an AI, that's the height of my existence."

"Oh. What happens after that?"

Ben shrugged. "I dunno, maybe I'll kick back and watch you be an awesome Hero. It'll be like going to the movies for me, only I can't get snacks." A tub of popcorn appeared in his hands, and he put a piece in his mouth. "I mean, I _can_, I just don't eat."

Midoriya fought back a laugh. "Oh, and there was one other thing I wanted to talk to you about—"

"_Look at that, folks!" _Present Mic shouted. _"The rest of the competitors are making their way into the arena! Who's going to make it into the next stage?"_

The first of the other students to finish the race was Todoroki, only barely edging out Bakugo. Both boys were panting heavily, but they were in better shape than Midoriya was while human, so it only took them a few minutes to recover. Thirty seconds after them was Iida, who somehow managed to look proud and disappointed at the same time—probably because, while he'd managed to make it into the top five, winning races like this was his thing. Midoriya couldn't help but grin as the rest of his friends showed up; UA's Rising Stars had all made it into the top twenty, at least.

Even better, his entire class had made it to the second round; all of 1-B had also passed, along with the General Studies student, and a pink-haired girl that Midoriya didn't recognize.

"_This isn't a surprise," _Eraserhead said. _"The Hero Course students usually take up the vast majority of the slots for the second event. It's a logical outcome; those students usually have Quirks better-suited to practical applications, such as races and combat. They also tend to be in better shape than the average student."_

Midoriya ran up to his friends. "Guys, you all made it!"

"Of… of course we did, Deku-kun," Uraraka panted. "We made a promise, right?"

"Right you are, Ochako!" Ashido danced around the others in excitement. "Ooh, we made it to the second round on our very first Sports Festival! This is awesome!"

"Would you get off of me, you little creep!?" Midoriya and his friends turned to see an orange-haired girl from 1-B wave around an oversized hand; attached to that hand by his sticky balls was Mineta, who had a black eye.

"No way!" the boy shouted. "I got into the second event by doing this!"

"That doesn't explain why you're still touching me!"

Asui sighed. "Why do I get the feeling that every girl in school is going to get a restraining order on him by the end of the year, ribbit?"

Yaoyorozu scowled. "Because he is the worst, simple as that."

"You know, he's getting better," Sero said, though he sounded like he couldn't believe his own words. "Kaminari asked him if he wanted to—and I'm quoting him here—'check out the babes on the beach' with him on Friday, and Mineta said he was busy studying."

Everyone glanced back at Mineta, who was still stuck on the girl's hand and grinning lecherously.

"I don't believe it," Asui said. "Sero, did you smell toast when you overheard that conversation, ribbit?"

"I wasn't having a stroke!" Sero paused. "I mean, I checked, just in case, but I wasn't!"

Midoriya couldn't help but laugh, and his friends joined in; the laughter faded when Midnight called for their attention, and the placements were shown on the screen. Midoriya noted all forty-one other competitors, but he checked on his friends first.

Iida had come in fourth place, Yaoyorozu had come in sixth, Sero had come in seventh, Ashido had come in thirteenth, Asui had gotten seventeenth, and Uraraka had nabbed twentieth place.

Ashido pouted. "I would have gotten a better spot, but I hit one of the mines at the last second."

"Me, too," Uraraka said, and rubbed a sore spot on her leg.

"I had to slow down and figure out my jumps carefully, ribbit" Asui said. "And I could only do short hops anyway."

"Yeah, same with me," Sero added. "My tape didn't set off any mines, but _I _would have if I'd landed on one."

"All right, kids, enough chitchat!" Midnight called out, getting everyone's attention. "It's time to announce the next event!"

Once again, the screen behind Midnight began to show random words, before finally settling on 'Cavalry Battle'.

Next to Midoriya, Ben raised an eyebrow. "Okay, I'm stumped. What's this?"

Thankfully, Midnight was there to explain. "In theory, this event is like the playground game. Some students will be the 'horse' that carries the 'rider'. However, there's a bit more to it. Each team will be made up of two to four competitors, and whoever is the 'rider' will carry the objective of the game—the collective points you all earned. You see, each of you received a number of points, equal to your ranking on the board. We started at five, and went up by five for every spot. For this event, you'll have to steal as many points as you can, and defend your own points at the same time. Only the top four teams will advance to the final event!"

_Okay, so I have two hundred and ten points, _Midoriya thought. _It might be the highest number, but you could easily take the lead by going after a few other teams. Sounds fair._

"Oh, and we made a special change for the lucky student who got first place." Midnight smiled in a way that made many of them uncomfortable. "You see, the student who got first place is worth… _ten million points_!"

Midoriya froze, and he was distinctly aware of forty-one pairs of eyes locking onto him.

_I'm in trouble._

…

"Okay, I'm back."

The girl crossed her arms. "What were you doing?"

"Taking care of something, like I said."

"… you did something you weren't supposed to, didn't you?"

"As long as you don't know what I did, you can't tell anyone."

"We're only supposed to observe!"

"Nobody saw me! I think. I'm pretty sure."

"You're dead when we get home."

"Wouldn't be the first time."

The girl drew back her fist and punched him in the arm. "Don't ever bring that up again."

"Right, sorry. Let's just watch the next event."

**I'm thinking of doing an outro to the arcs, but probably at the last chapter of said arcs. Why? *shrugs***

**Anyway, I had the idea of Midoriya using Jetray for the race before I even started writing the story at all. It just makes sense. Also, is it weird that, aside from Bakugo—kind of, because he just sorta skips through the air—there are no students in Midoriya's year who fly? From what I've seen in the manga/anime, there aren't a whole lot of people with Quirks that let them fly. Granted, there are many situations where being able to fly would make said situation very easy, so I can understand why Horikoshi didn't do that.**

**I also had a few mystery characters show up here. There's the mystery man who is considering Midoriya for an internship already, and that mystery pair who are doing mysterious things. MYSTERY!**

**Oh, and there's still Mineta being Mineta; trauma doesn't erase being my most disliked character, it just gave me a reason to put him in the background for the most part. He'll take being a Hero seriously, but when his life isn't on the line, he'll still be that perverted little creep we all know and hate.**

**All right, I'm almost done. Please, consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb; you can get a free sample on my website (link in my profile), where you can also buy it as a PDF. You can also buy it as an eBook or a physical copy on Amazon. For those of you who have bought it, thank you; reviews on Amazon are highly appreciated as well. Oh, and I want to let you all know that updates will be coming VERY slowly until my next book, **_**Delta Sanction**_**, is done, but that will hopefully not take very long. Still, updates will be monthly until then.**

**For those of you who don't want to read my book, but also want to help support me, there is the P-atreon option (link in my profile). Donations are appreciated, and you still get a free copy of my book at the top tier!**

**Thanks to the following patrons:**

**Serious Muffins:**** jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, John Collins, Calleo, Casey Pak, Red Bard, Ultimatrix10**

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**Ultra Muffins:**** Adam Costello, Jeffrey Perigo, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Cavalry Battle! Who's willing to stick with Midoriya, despite having the biggest target on his back?**

**Plus Muffin!**


	10. Here Comes the Cavalry

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. GUYS, EITHER THAT WEIRD BLOT ON MY LEG MEANS I'M GETTING A QUIRK, OR I SHOULD SEE A DOCTOR. PROBABLY THE SECOND OPTION, NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT.**

**I never liked getting the top score in anything in school, because I saw how jealous people got towards the top student. I can only imagine how Midoriya feels after getting the top score in an event watched by people around the world.**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 10

Here Comes the Cavalry

"So, I guess you'll all be going to other teams, right?"

Uraraka frowned. "What are you talking about, Deku-kun?"

Midoriya shrugged. "I mean, with my ten million points, anyone on my team is going to have a huge target on their backs. You guys are going to have an easier time if you—"

"Stop that, Izuku!" Uraraka looked furious as she poked him in the chest; it did not go unnoticed that she used his real name when she was angry. "I'm not going to abandon you! What kind of friend would I be if I left when things got hard?"

Midoriya tried to hide the tears in his eyes, and failed miserably. His friends smiled at him fondly, but Sero had to break up the moment.

"Sorry, but Midoriya does have a point, kind of." Sero shrugged. "The teams can only have four people at most, which means we'll have to split up."

"He is right," Iida said. "As much I want us all to meet up in the final round, I also want to show my own strength. As such, I will be joining a different team; I hope you can understand, Midoriya."

"I get it," Midoriya said. "Good luck, Iida."

"I'm sorry, but I also want to compete against you, Midoriya," Yaoyorozu said, voice full of remorse. "As much as I care about all of you, this Sports Festival is a chance for me to show what I can do on my own." She worked up a smile. "I still expect all of us to make it to the final round."

"Yeah, I kinda feel the same way," Ashido and Sero said at the same time; the two of them shared a grin.

"Wanna find another team?" Sero asked.

"Sure!" Ashido waved at the others as she and Sero dashed off. "See you guys in the final event!"

As more of his friends split off, Midoriya got increasingly nervous. Asui tapped him on the arm and smiled.

"Don't worry, ribbit; I'll stay with you and Ochako."

Midoriya smiled back. "Thanks, Tsuyu."

Uraraka nodded. "Great! What do you think, Deku-kun? Should we get another person, or will three be enough?"

Midoriya thought about it, but was interrupted by a loud voice in his ear. "Hey, you! Mister Ten Million!"

Midoriya whirled and found the pink-haired girl well within his personal space, her face nearly touching his own.

"Gah!" Midoriya held a hand over his racing heart. "Wh-who are you?"

"Oh, right, I forgot to introduce myself!" The girl grinned and lifted her goggles onto her forehead. Midoriya noticed that her pupils had odd markings that looked like crosshairs, perhaps something to do with her Quirk. "Hatsume Mei, Support Course student and inventor extraordinaire, at your service! I want to join your team! And I need to know who made that watch for you, because I've never seen a Support Item like that before!"

Uraraka put herself between Hatsume and Midoriya protectively. "Why do you want to join the team with the biggest target?"

Undaunted by the other girl's attitude, Hatsume grinned. "Ooh, a discerning customer! Well, I figure that more eyes will be on your team than the others, and that gives me more opportunities to show off my babies! Also, I'm a girl who really appreciates fine craftsmanship, and that watch has got to be one of the best I've ever seen."

"W-well, my watch was made by my cousin in America, but I don't know much about how it works." Midoriya blinked as something Hatsume said registered. "Um, what are you talking about when you say 'babies'?"

"Like this!" Hatsume pointed to a belt around her stomach. "This baby, for example, can fire a high tensile strength wire with grappling pitons to secure your footing, trip up a Villain, or save a civilian! Interested now?"

Midoriya looked at the bewildering array of Support Items Hatsume sported, and then at Uraraka and Asui. A moment later, he smiled; it wasn't his typical unsure smile, but a smile that came with having a really good idea.

"All right," he said slowly, "I think I have a plan."

…

"Okay, _now _I'm starting to feel bad," Ashido whined. "How are all the teams filled up so fast?"

"Probably because everyone's teaming up with people they know," Sero said. "That means a lot of them were coming up with teams as soon as the event was announced."

"Well, crap; maybe we should have stayed with Midori."

"Hey, guys!" Ashido and Sero turned around and saw Kirishima running towards them. "Have you two joined a team yet?"

"Uh, no," Sero said. "Are you inviting us?"

"Yes, please!" Kirishima put his hands together and bowed his head. "Bakugo and I need some help, and I told him I'd ask around, and—"

"Whoa, hold on a second!" Ashido narrowed her eyes at him. "Bakugo? You teamed up with _Bakugo_? Kirishima, you're one of the most upstanding guys I've ever met, why would _you_ team up with _him_!?"

Ashido wasn't stupid; she'd suspected that Bakugo had bullied Midoriya even before she found out why the latter had been nicknamed 'Deku'. It infuriated her that nothing had been done about it beforehand, and that someone like him had been accepted into UA. Even now, he barely toed the line; at least he was smart enough not to cross it, but there was every chance he could get pushed over the edge. Either way, she didn't like him.

Kirishima grimaced. "I know, Bakugo is… well, he's Bakugo. I'm not excusing him, but I _did _tell him that he'd have to watch his mouth around our teammates, or I'd ditch him, and he'd have nobody for this event. He promised that he would, and he doesn't seem the type to go back on his word. Come on, please?"

Ashido glanced at Sero; the boy had a frighteningly good poker face, his expression neutral and unreadable. He only offered her a brief nod; he was in if she was.

"All right, fine," Ashido huffed. "Let's go."

Kirishima pumped a fist. "Sweet! Thank you so much, you guys won't regret it!" He grabbed them both by the wrist and half-dragged them off. "Bakubro, I told you I'd get a couple extra teammates!"

Bakugo scowled at the nickname, but didn't snap back. Instead, he looked at the two newcomers. "Huh. Two of Deku's friends. What're your Quirks again?"

Sero was still doing his best not to react, but Ashido frowned when Bakugo used Midoriya's nickname. When used by Uraraka, it was cute, but Bakugo made the name sound like a curse.

Still, as much as she hated to admit it—and she _really _hated to admit it—Bakugo was skilled. Teaming up with him would be the best way to ensure that she and Sero could keep their promise and see their friends in the final event.

"I can make acid, either for mobility or attack," she said through gritted teeth.

When Sero spoke, it was with a far calmer tone than what Ashido knew he was really feeling. "I can make strands of tape; it's pretty strong, strong enough to hold most people."

Bakugo nodded; he brought one hand to his chin and started to pace. "Okay, I think I've got a plan. Kirishima will be the front of the horse, and he'll be carrying me; we can use him like a ram if things get up-close. We're gonna try to keep that from happening; I'll be the air strike, Sticky, you'll pull me back so that I don't hit the ground and get disqualified. Raccoon-Eyes, your job will be to watch our flanks; trip 'em up or make 'em burn, I don't care, just keep the other teams off our asses."

"My name is Ashido Mina; use it, or we're going to have a problem."

Bakugo just raised an eyebrow. "Whatever."

Kirishima intervened before things got heated. "Hey, Bakugo, what's our plan? Are we going after Midoriya's team, or what?"

"Don't be stupid," Bakugo said dismissively. "Of course we're hitting Deku's team. We'll take his ten million points, and then I'll blow away any moron dumb enough to try and steal it from us. Raccoon-Eyes will keep up the defense, and Sticky can trip up people when he's not busy helping me."

Ashido narrowed her eyes in anger, but before she could take more than a step in Bakugo's direction, Sero put a hand on her shoulder.

"Let it go for now," he whispered. "Remember, we're using him as much as he's using us. All we have to do is make it to the next round."

Ashido nodded. _I only have to put up with him for a little while. Just remember that Midori had to deal with him for a lot longer. If he can do that, I can do this._

…

"Yaoyorozu-san, Iida-san." The students in question turned and saw Todoroki walking up to them. "Do you two have a team yet?"

Yaoyorozu answered for both of them. "No, we were looking to see if—"

"I want you both on mine." Todoroki jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Tokoyami, who was leaning against a nearby wall. "I've already got Tokoyami-san; my ice and his Dark Shadow should work well with your speed, Iida-san, and your versatility, Yaoyorozu-san."

"You're trying to make as balanced a team as possible," Yaoyorozu observed.

Iida was more accusatory. "You want to be able to react to anything Midoriya may turn into!"

To their surprise, Todoroki shook his head. "No. Everyone else is going to go after his team, and we don't want to get bogged down in that free-for-all. Instead, we're going to go after the teams on the periphery, building up as many points as we can that way." He shrugged. "Of course, if Midoriya messes up, I'll be more than happy to take the ten million points from him."

Iida and Yaoyorozu frowned—not because Todoroki's plan was a bad one, but because they didn't want Midoriya to lose the ten million points. If he did, there was a good chance he and his team wouldn't move on to the next round, and all of them would feel terrible if they broke their promise.

"Very well, Todoroki-san," Yaoyorozu said, "we'll join your team."

Todoroki just nodded and moved back to Tokoyami.

"Well, he was… curt," Yaoyorozu commented.

"But he _is _one of the most powerful students in our class," Iida said. "And his strategy is sound. Tokoyami is also very strong, and with us added to the team, we have a very good chance of advancing to the next round."

Yaoyorozu glanced back, and saw Midoriya speaking enthusiastically with Uraraka, Asui, and a pink-haired girl that she didn't recognize. At least he looked less apprehensive than before. That was good; she had worried that he would fall apart if he didn't have all of his friends supporting him.

She shook the thoughts away for now. _It's time to stop worrying about Izuku for now; this is about _my _future._

…

"Come on, guys, I think we should find another person," Kendo Itsuka argued.

"Nah, we've got plenty of manliness as it is," Tetsutetsu said back. "Er, no offense."

"I am not offended," Shiozaki Ibara said calmly. "If it is the will of the heavens that our team grows, then so shall it be."

"I'm glad you feel that way," an unfamiliar voice said. "Do you three mind if I join your team?"

Kendo turned and saw who had spoken. "Who are you?"

The boy smirked. "The name is Shinso Hitoshi, and I think I can be of service."

…

"Okay, anyone have any questions?" Midoriya asked; he wasn't just confident in his plan, he was actually excited to see it happen. Still, he wanted to know if anyone found a flaw he'd overlooked

"Do you think this will actually work?" Uraraka asked. She was nervous, but the idea of Midoriya's insane plan working was hilarious.

"I do," Midoriya said with a grin. "As long as Hatsume-san's, uh, 'babies' work with your Quirk."

Hatsume looked up from the pair of high-tech boots she was adjusting. "Oh, I guarantee they will! Well, maybe I can't give a one-hundred-percent guarantee, but that's just because I don't want to get charged with false advertising."

Asui just shrugged. "We won't know for sure until we try, ribbit, so let's do it."

"_All right, competitors!" _Present Mic shouted. _"It's time for the riders to mount their trusty steeds! Just remember, each rider will receive a number of headbands, each representing the points of one person on their team. You can wear them on your heads, or around your necks, but nowhere else!"_

A small robot trundled over to Midoriya's team and handed out the appropriate headbands. Midoriya gulped when he saw the big prize, the ten million points, before he wrapped it around his head. That was covered by Asui's one hundred and thirty points, Uraraka's hundred and fifteen, and then Hatsume's ten. He figured that if someone actually did manage to get through their defenses and steal a headband, they were more likely to only get the outer three first.

Once the headbands were secure on his head, he was lifted up onto the shoulders of Asui and Uraraka; he noticed that the former winced, and he looked down in concern. He almost fell backwards, but Hatsume propped him up with one hand against his back.

"Tsu, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, ribbit," Asui croaked. "I have to match Ochako's height, and my body isn't meant to stand up straight for too long."

"Hopefully, you won't have to," Midoriya said. He looked at the teams scattered around the stadium; many of them were staring right back at him. "We're going to have to do this quickly. Everyone ready?"

Uraraka smiled up at him. "Definitely!"

"I can't wait for my babies to shine!"

"Ribbit."

Despite the tension, or maybe because of it, Midoriya laughed as he cycled through the Ultimatrix until he found the alien he needed. "I'll take that as a yes, Tsu."

"_And… START!"_

Without a second to lose, Midoriya slammed his hand down on the dial. When the green light faded, he had become a tall, yellow-skinned creature. He was muscular, and had bat-like ears, but his most striking feature was his eyes. He had many over his bare torso and arms, but none on his face; some were as small as a human eye, while others were much larger. Each eye was green, with a black, slit pupil, and they all moved around independently. He wore black pants, but no shoes, and the Ultimatrix dial served as a belt buckle.

"EYE GUY!"

"_Surprise, folks! Midoriya has more than just one transformation up his now-nonexistent sleeve! If you wanted a wildcard for today, here it is! Not even I know what he'll turn into next, and I'm one of his teachers!"_

"Let's get going!" Eye Guy shouted in his deep, guttural voice. One of the eyes on his shoulder noticed a student from 1-B narrow his own eyes at him and start to lower a hand towards the ground. With barely a thought, the eye that noticed the boy glowed green and fired a bolt of energy that sent him tumbling into the rest of his team. "Yeah, I don't want to know what he was trying. Uraraka, Hatsume, now!"

"Everyone, give me a hand!" Uraraka and Asui were struggling to lift Eye Guy's increased weight, but that changed when everyone gave Uraraka a high-five, and they all became weightless.

"It's my turn!" Hatsume grinned maniacally as she pressed a button on her backpack. "Jet-boosters, activate!"

Before the match had started, Hatsume had handed out a pair of boots to each of the other girls. They were supposed to let the wearer hover an inch or two off the ground, but Hatsume had done a last-second modification, removing the safety limits and turning them into air-powered thrusters. Since the team was now weightless, all four of them rocketed into the air.

"_Oh my goodness!" _Present Mic shouted, barely heard over the excited screams of the audience. _"I can't say I was expecting that! What about you, Eraserhead?"_

"_Team Midoriya has just turned into a living zeppelin. I don't think _anyone_ was expecting that."_

Eye Guy couldn't help but laugh as his team flew over the stunned competitors. "This is incredible! Uraraka, how are you doing?"

An eye on his elbow caught Uraraka looking a little pale. "I'm going to have to cancel and reapply my Quirk every few minutes, or I'm gonna get sick. Still, we should start Phase Two before someone figures out how to get to us."

"Got it!" One of Eye Guy's eyes winked at Asui. "Time for Operation Air Raid!"

"Here we go, ribbit!" Asui wrapped her tongue around his waist and pointed him at the ground. "Bombs away!"

Still grinning, Eye Guy rained down energy bolts onto the arena. He wasn't necessarily trying to hit anyone, just make them decide that going after his team was more trouble than it was worth. From what he could see through the dust kicked up by his makeshift airstrike—and he could see a lot—even Bakugo's team had peeled off in search of easier prey.

One of his eyes glanced at the timer on the big screen. _Only twenty-eight minutes to go._

…

Back in the waiting room, the Big Three were in hysterics; even Amajiki wiped away tears from laughing so hard.

"I can't believe it," Togata said as he tried to get his breath back. "That is the funniest thing I've ever seen!"

"It's insane," Amajiki added.

"It's awesome!" Hado pointed at Team Midoriya on the screen. "Okay, we _have _to try something like that during our turn."

Togata grinned. "Yeah! We can fly around, and Tamaki can use his tentacles to hit any other team that gets close!"

"Then it's decided," Hado said as she pointed to the ceiling. "We shall call it 'Operation Flying Spaghetti Monster'!"

Amajiki rested his head on a desk. "Dammit, Midoriya. Why did you have to inspire them?"

…

"Not cool, Todoroki!" Kaminari shouted as the team in question left him and Jiro frozen up to their waists, and Shoji, who had been carrying them, up to his neck.

"Stop making ice-puns!" Jiro yelled.

Todoroki didn't reply as he snatched the headbands from Kaminari, but Yaoyorozu felt bad that Jiro had been knocked out of the competition.

"Sorry, Jiro-chan!" she called out over her shoulder.

"We need to get to another team," Todoroki decided. "Iida, we need to speed up."

"Understood! My sincerest apologies, Yaomomo!" Iida placed his hands firmly on Yaoyorozu's waist. "Tokoyami-san, make sure we are all secure!"

Tokoyami merely nodded, and Dark Shadow grabbed both his partner and Todoroki.

"Ready!" the Quirk said.

Iida's boosters began to glow. "Here we go! Recipro Burst!"

Team Todoroki suffered collective whiplash as they rocketed towards another team—Ojiro, Hagakure, Sato and Mineta, with Hagakure wearing the headbands. Dark Shadow tilted Todoroki over so that his hand was almost touching the ground; ice rushed out, encasing Sato and Ojiro's feet, and stopping them in their tracks.

"Secret weapon!" Ojiro shouted. "Now!"

With a primal roar, Sato lifted Mineta up and threw him—straight at Yaoyorozu, who went wide-eyed as the small boy flew at her.

"Come to daddy!" Mineta shouted.

Acting on reflex, Yaoyorozu created an oversized flyswatter and slapped Mineta out of the air. The boy bounced off the ground once, and then lay still, knocked unconscious. As Team Todoroki blew past Team Hagakure, Dark Shadow neatly stole the headbands from Hagakure.

"_Here you go,"_ Dark Shadow said as he placed the headbands around Todoroki's neck.

"Good work," he said. "Let's pull back until Iida recharges, and we'll do it again."

…

"Goddammit! Fuck, fuck, _fuck_!"

"Dude, calm down!" Sero shouted over the explosions and cursing. "We've already got over six hundred points!"

"I don't care!" Bakugo shouted back as Sero reeled him in from another bombing run that netted the team two more headbands. "It doesn't matter unless we take first place!"

"Get over it!" Ashido snapped back. "What matters is how you finish, not how you start!"

Bakugo snarled, and then glanced up at the real target of his rage. "I can't believe that moron Deku used the same plan as me! Can't that idiot come up with his own ideas?"

Ashido bit her lip so hard she drew blood; from the scowl on Sero's face, he was in the same boat as her. When Midoriya's team flew out of reach, Bakugo had taken his frustrations out on any other team they could reach. His rampage had netted them plenty of headbands, but the blitz attack was so fast that none of them were sure how many points they actually had.

What also bothered most of Team Bakugo was the behavior of their leader. As skilled as Bakugo was, he was still an absolute asshole, and was even more ruthless than they'd seen before; more than one team they'd blitzed would have to see Recovery Girl when this round was over.

At least Midoriya was doing well, she told herself. His plan was brilliant, and hilarious, with Asui pointing him at clusters of brawling teams and scattering them with his laser-eyes. If his team wore the appropriate costume, they could have starred in an old kaiju movie, with Midoriya as the head of the flying monster. She couldn't help but giggle at the thought.

Bakugo glared back at her. "What's so funny, Raccoon-Eyes?"

And just like that, the humor was gone. "Nothing. Let's go get some more points."

"Smartest thing you've said all day; everyone, go right!"

…

"Guys, I think I'm reaching my limit," Uraraka panted. "I need a few minutes before we can do this again."

Eye Guy spotted the clock. "We only have a few minutes left, anyway! Can you hold us up until the last sixty seconds?"

Uraraka was pale and sweating after using her Quirk so many times, but she nodded. "I… think I can do that."

"Good timing!" Hatsume chirped. "The batteries in my babies are running low. As soon as we land, we'll have to do this the old-fashioned way."

Eye Guy nodded. "Okay, let's start heading back to the ground; Uraraka, release your Quirk when I give the signal. Tsuyu, can your tongue hold me steady without her Quirk?"

"I'm pretty sure, ribbit." Asui glanced at the clock. "At least for most of that last minute."

"If she can't, I'll just reapply my Quirk on you for a few seconds," Uraraka said tiredly.

"Thanks." Eye Guy took stock of the chaos below. More than one team had noticed that they were coming in for a landing. "I'll keep everyone else at a distance as much as I can, but a few might slip past me. Hatsume-san, do you have anything to slow those teams down?"

"I have a net launcher," Hatsume offered. "Ooh, and I can try out my new stun-disks! I just hope I calibrated the voltage correctly."

Eye Guy didn't like how that sounded. "Just… use those on someone really tough, like Kirishima."

"You got it, boss!"

"We're close enough to the ground!" Uraraka waited until Hatsume got a firm grip on her. "Release!"

With gravity suddenly applying to them again, only Hatsume's thrusters kept them from crashing hard into the ground. As Eye Guy suspected, several teams immediately changed course and headed straight at them.

"_What's this? Team Midoriya is back on solid ground, and it looks like almost half the other teams are after them!"_

"_Uraraka must have reached the limits of her Quirk. She's definitely improved, having to hold up her entire team for almost the whole event."_

"_Hey, Eraserhead, you know you just referenced the weight of three ladies, right?"_

"_Shut up."_

"_Eraserhead's faux pas aside, we've got just under a minute left! Can Team Midoriya maintain their lead, or is another team destined for a dramatic upset? Don't look away, this is when things get crazy!"_

…

"It all comes down to this," All Might said, unable to stop his leg from bouncing nervously.

"How do you think the other teams will react?" Gran Torino asked Nighteye.

"It depends on the disposition of the team in question." Nighteye brought a hand to his chin. "If the team has a decent number of points, they may try to stay out of the fighting entirely, or go after more teams with small amounts of points. The ones that go after Team Midoriya will either be desperate, or supremely confident in their abilities—like that one."

All Might followed Nighteye's gaze and sighed. "Oh, it's definitely the second option with that boy."

…

"DEKU!"

Eye Guy spotted Bakugo's team hurtling towards him long before his former bully shouted, but it didn't stop him from tensing up. He felt bad that Ashido and Sero were on Bakugo's team—he could imagine the headache their leader was giving them. He also felt bad for what he was about to do.

"Sorry, guys! Team, swing left so that we're facing Bakugo!" As soon as that was done, the eyes on his chest merged together into one very large eye that glowed green. A massive blast of energy fired out, hitting Kirishima directly in the chest. The force of the hit was so great that it sent the whole team skidding back, and if Sero hadn't caught Bakugo with his tape at the last second, he would have hit the ground and been disqualified.

Thankfully, there were still enough eyes elsewhere on his body for Eye Guy to see Todoroki's attack coming. He fired smaller bolts at the ice that crept towards them, but it wasn't enough; Todoroki just sent even more ice, and managed to catch Hatsume's feet.

"We're stuck!" she cried out. "And they're about to hit us!"

Dark Shadow loomed overhead, Yaoyorozu had created a large billhook, and Todoroki's arm was outstretched; all three were inches away from Eye Guy, when the bell sounded.

"_IT'S OVER!" _Present Mic shouted. _"All teams, cut your Quirks and cool your jets, the second round is done!"_

Iida had been in the middle of another Recipro Burst, and hadn't been able to cut it in time; startled as they were by the bell, the two teams collided and fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

"Ow," Midoriya groaned as he turned back to normal. "Whoever that is, can they get their elbow out of my face?"

"Sorry, Deku-kun," Uraraka said as she wiggled free. "Wait, did we win? Did we keep the ten million points!?"

With trembling hands, Midoriya took the headbands off to double-check; sure enough, all four headbands were secure.

"_In first place, with ten million, two hundred and fifty-five points, we have TEAM MIDORIYA! They had an absolutely brilliant defense that nobody saw coming. Way to go, kids!"_

"We did it, Deku-kun!" Uraraka dove on top of Midoriya and hugged him. "We won the second event!"

Overwhelmed by emotion, Midoriya hugged her back, and then pulled Asui and Hatsume into the embrace.

"Congratulations, all of you," Yaoyorozu said as everyone got back to their feet.

Uraraka beamed. "Thanks, Yaomomo."

"Y-yeah, th-thanks," Midoriya said, trying and failing to stop the tears from running down his face. "I can't believe it worked."

"Are you all right, Tsuyu?" Iida asked. "You keep rubbing your tongue."

Asui grimaced. "When we all fell, I got dirt all over it, ribbit."

"Do I owe you mouthwash now?"

Asui blinked; Iida had just told a _joke_. "Just some water is fine, ribbit."

"_In second place, with one thousand, two hundred and ten points, it's TEAM TODOROKI! They played smart and went after the teams that were unbalanced by Midoriya's bombing run. Nice job!"_

Todoroki nodded, but didn't show any other emotions; as far as he was concerned, nothing mattered until he fought Midoriya in the final event.

Tokoyami was also stoic, but Dark Shadow looked as smug as a sentient mass of shadows could, even accepting a fist-bump from Uraraka.

Iida and Yaoyorozu, on the other hand, were very happy, and accepted hugs and high-fives from their friends.

"_And in third place, with one thousand points even, we have TEAM BAKUGO! They were utterly ruthless back there, and totally destroyed anyone who got in their way!"_

Midoriya waved excitedly as Ashido, Sero and Kirishima jogged up to the others. "Way to go, guys! We made it into the final event!"

"Heck yeah, we did!" Ashido grinned. "Just watch out for me, or you're gonna get it!"

"_And in fourth place, with nine hundred and forty-five points, we have TEAM SHIOZAKI! They managed to snag any points not being targeted by the other three leaders, and it paid off for them! These are our sixteen finalists, folks! Let's give them, and all of our competitors, a big hand!"_

The audience had already been cheering as the event came to a close, but it became deafening at Present Mic's urging.

"_With our top sixteen chosen, let's take an hour for lunch, and give our brave competitors time to rest! Come on, Eraserhead, let's get something to eat."_

"_You do that; I'm taking a nap."_

As the students began filing out of the arena, Midoriya felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Todoroki staring at him with unnerving intensity.

"We need to talk."

…

"Hey, freshmen!" The Rising Stars all jumped when Togata appeared behind them, along with Hado and Amajiki. "How're you doing?"

"Oh, Mirio!" Iida bowed. "We are all quite pleased with ourselves; eleven of Class 1-A will be advancing to the final round."

"Yeah, we saw it online!" Togata waved his phone for emphasis. "You all did amazing! We might be the Big Three, but we still haven't made it to the last round of a Sports Festival yet."

"Hey, uh, not to be rude, but aren't you three in the third-year event?" Ashido didn't mind seeing the Big Three, but she was still confused. "Why are you here so early?"

Amajiki shrugged; to everyone's amusement, he still couldn't look her in the eye after she flirted with him. "It's quiet in the waiting room, and we wanted to watch the footage of you guys. We're not allowed to actually be in the stands until our event, so this was the best we could do."

Hado hopped from one foot to the other. "Hey, where'd Midoriya-kun go? I figured he'd be with his best friends."

UA's Rising Stars looked around; sure enough, Midoriya had somehow vanished without their notice.

"Maybe he went to the bathroom or something?" Sero wondered. "If we don't run into him after getting some food, we should look for him."

"Good idea," Togata said, clapping Sero on the shoulder. "Hey, why don't we show you a secret? It's more of an upperclassmen thing, but there's actually a small vendor that exclusively serves students, so you won't have to wait in line! Best of all, it's free for competitors!"

Uraraka immediately latched onto the word 'free'. "Okay, let's go! We should get some extra food for Deku-kun, just in case."

Asui frowned. "Still, I hope everything is okay, ribbit."

…

Midoriya was nervous—more than usual, anyway, to the point that Ben stood next to him to offer silent support. On the opposite side of the hallway, Todoroki locked his intense gaze with Midoriya's own.

"What did you want to talk about?" Midoriya asked.

Todoroki finally closed his eyes; he looked like he was trying to find the right words. "I'm only telling you this because, out of everyone in our class, I respect you the most. As such, I feel like you deserve to know why I want to challenge you so badly. I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you."

"Okay, this is weird," Ben said, mirroring Todoroki's crossed arms and posture. "He doesn't _need_ to tell you anything. If I had money, I'd bet it all that he's using this as an excuse to get something off his chest."

"I won't say a word," Midoriya promised, while silently agreeing with Ben.

Todoroki held up his right hand and let wisps of cold air flow around it. "You've noticed that I only use the power of my right side—my ice. I never use my left side in battle."

Midoriya nodded.

"It's because of my father." Todoroki's hand tightened into a fist. "He's Endeavor. The number two Hero."

Midoriya's eyes went wide. "Wait, really? I mean, I knew his last name was Todoroki as well, but there's nothing about him having childr—" He stopped when Todoroki's own eyes narrowed. "Sorry, go on."

"Have you ever heard of Quirk marriages?"

Just the use of the term made Midoriya flinch. "I h-have, yes. It was never given much approval, and people who have powerful Quirks who get married have to be evaluated to see if they aren't basically conducting a eugenics experiment—oh my god."

Todoroki nodded. "Yes. My father used his influence to get people to look the other way. He basically bought my mother for her Quirk; he was never able to surpass All Might himself, so he decided to have a child who could do it for him. It took him four tries to get it 'right'.

"My mother… couldn't handle it. After a while, she snapped, and poured boiling water on the left side of my face, because it reminded her of him. She was locked up after that. Everything I suffered—more importantly, everything _she _suffered—is all because of Endeavor. So I decided that I would surpass him, All Might, and every other Hero out there with just my mother's power. Endeavor can watch as I become the greatest Hero without using _his _Quirk." By this point, Todoroki had begun to pace, and his voice was starting to crack, but he reigned it in. "I just want you to know where I'm coming from. You may have won the first two events, but those don't matter. When you and I fight in the next event, I'm going to crush you. So go ahead, turn into anything you've got, even the one that beat Nomu—I'm going to prove that I don't need Endeavor."

His piece said, Todoroki walked off. Midoriya stood there in silence as he tried to digest everything he had learned.

"That boy needs therapy," Ben commented. "And I'm pretty sure Endeavor is breaking laws, but nobody can prove it."

"So… what do I do?" Midoriya asked.

"You told me you didn't want advice," Ben reminded him.

"This is different," Midoriya argued. "This goes way beyond a competition."

"You're right." Ben shrugged. "What do you _want _to do?"

"I want to help him," Midoriya said immediately.

"Good answer." Ben smiled. "I don't know for sure, but the first step to helping him might be to force him to use his fire. Of course, if you do that, you might be making things harder for yourself."

"That doesn't matter," Midoriya said firmly. "I want to be a Hero. Heroes help people, that's all there is to it."

Ben's smile turned to a full-blown grin. "All right, buddy; put some thought into that. For now, though, you should get some food and find out who you're going up against first."

Midoriya nodded. He could worry about classmates with deep-seated issues after getting something to eat.

…

"Deku-kun, there you are!" Uraraka waved him over and handed him a plate of food. "You missed the Big Three earlier, they showed us where to get all this!"

"Oh, okay. Thanks."

Midoriya's friends all frowned at the subdued tone in his voice. He ate almost reluctantly, like eating was the last thing on his mind.

"You all right, Midori?" Ashido asked.

"Not really," Midoriya said. "I was talking to Todoroki-san. It was personal for him, and he asked me to keep it to myself."

His friends all nodded, but none of them liked it. Finally, after finishing his food, Midoriya took a deep breath, and his eyes hardened with resolve.

"Well, I can't worry about it now," he said. "And I can't do anything about it until later. Have they posted the matchups yet?"

Asui shook her head. "They should be up soon, ribbit."

As if on cue, the big screen brought up the list of who was fighting who, followed by brackets that showed the first round.

Todoroki Shoto VS Kendo Itsuka

Asui Tsuyu VS Shinso Hitoshi

Kirishima Eijiro VS Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu

Bakugo Katsuki VS Sero Hanta

Midoriya Izuku VS Shiozaki Ibara

Iida Tenya VS Hatsume Mei

Uraraka Ochako VS Tokoyami Fumikage

Ashido Mina VS Yaoyorozu Momo

As the names were arranged into the brackets, Midoriya swallowed nervously. If he won against Shiozaki—who hadn't shown off her Quirk much during the last event, save for using her vine-like hair to steal some headbands—he was up against either Asui or Shinso, whom he knew nothing about. After that, he would be up against Tokoyami or Uraraka, or Kendo or… Todoroki.

"Well, that kinda sucks," Ashido said morosely. "I really didn't want to go up against one of you guys in my first fight." She then flopped dramatically over Yaoyorozu's lap. "Don't hate me if I win, Yaomomo!"

Yaoyorozu pretended to think about it. "Well, just this once."

"And I'm up against Tokoyami-san," Uraraka said nervously. "Oh, this is gonna be hard."

"You think that's hard?" Sero kept up his smile, but everyone could see the sweat on his brow. "I'm up against _Bakugo_. Any ideas, Midoriya?"

"A few," Midoriya muttered. "Keep him from pointing his hands directly at you. Also, he usually leads with his right."

"Good to know." Sero gently elbowed him. "Thanks."

"_Okay, folks!" _Present Mic's voice brought them all to the present. _"I hope you got enough to eat, and I hope you went to the bathroom—with all the excitement coming up, you might not be able to hold it in!"_

"_That's disgusting," _Aizawa said. _"The first match is starting in two minutes. Shinso Hitoshi and Asui Tsuyu, get down here. Everyone else who isn't about to start a match, go to your assigned sections with your classes."_

"_Moving on, we should probably remind everyone of the rules. The fight ends when one competitor is unable to fight, surrenders, or is forced out of bounds. Also, the lovely Midnight and our good friend Cementoss will be acting as referee, in case things get out of hand. Just don't do too much damage to each other, or Recovery Girl will let you have it!"_

"I guess this is it, ribbit." Asui got up and smiled at her friends. "See you guys later."

"Do your best, Tsu-chan!" Uraraka called after her.

The six of them joined the rest of 1-A, just as Asui entered the arena. On the other side was her opponent—the purple-haired boy who had called out their class.

"_From the Hero Course's Class 1-A! She may look cute, but her entire body is a frog-shaped weapon, it's Asui Tsuyu!_

"_And from General Studies, it's the dark horse who managed to make it to the final event, it's Shinso Hitoshi!"_

In the arena, Shinso nodded at Asui, who bowed slightly. Midnight raised her whip high.

"Are both fighters ready?"

"Yes."

"Ribbit. Yes."

Midnight brought the whip down. "Begin!"

**That's right, I'm ending it here. I'm evil.**

**I should let you all know that the flying Team Midoriya thing was something I had planned from the very beginning. It was hilarious to me, and I had to include it.**

**I actually had to create the bracket thing to figure out who was fighting who. This time, Midoriya isn't fighting Todoroki in the second round, but either Shinso or our favorite frog-girl! Don't worry, that epic showdown will still happen, just later.**

**Also, unlike the Battle Trials, I plan on writing out each and every fight. Sorry if that's annoying, but I actually like tournament arcs, as long as they don't go on for fifty episodes/chapters. The Sports Festival arc was actually pretty short, so I'm excited.**

**Oh, I should mention that about half of the fights were randomized, but a couple I kept to canon because I liked them. If you know MHA, you know what I'm talking about.**

**As always, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction **_**by Josh Gottlieb. It's available as an eBook and in physical format on Amazon, or as a PDF on my website (link in my profile). Book sales make me happy and make me want to write more! Also, if any of you have bought my book, I would really appreciate ratings and reviews on Amazon, because that brings more attention.**

**Also, if you want to make me even happier, please consider donating on P-atreon (link in my profile). I would love nothing more than to write fan fiction all day, but I can't do that if I can't afford to do things like eat.**

**And here's a list of my lovely Patrons:**

**Serious Muffins: ****jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, John Collins, Calleo, Casey Pak, Red Bard, Ultimatrix10**

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**Ultra Muffins:**** Adam Costello, Jeffrey Perigo, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Round 1… FIGHT!**

**Plus Muffin!**


	11. Round One

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. GUYS, I SHOT LIGHTNING OUT OF MY HANDS! I HAVE A—WAIT, NO, THAT WAS PROBABLY THE STATIC AGAIN. DAMN CLINGY CARPETS.**

**A frog-girl is about to fight a hypnotist. This is a weird day, guys.**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 11

Round One

"Begin!"

Asui crouched, ready to jump, and her tongue extended. She tensed when Shinso held out his hand.

"Before we really start, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, I g—" The words had barely left her mouth when Asui's body went slack.

"Good," Shinso said; he put his hands in his pockets and smirked. "Now, turn around and walk out of bounds."

Asui tried to fight it, but no matter what she did, her body refused to obey her commands. Slowly, almost like she was in a trance, she walked out of the ring.

"Asui has walked out of bounds!" Midnight declared. "The winner is Shinso!"

Asui shook her head as Shinso's Quirk faded and she regained control of herself. She shuddered at the idea that someone could just control her like that. She then felt depressed at how easily she'd lost; Asui didn't let something like pride get in her way, but she'd thought she'd do better than that.

"_Well, would you look at that!" _Present Mic sounded genuinely surprised. _"I wonder what Shinso-san did to make Asui leave the ring like that?"_

"_It was his Quirk, obviously," _Aizawa said calmly.

"_Oh? If someone has such a powerful Quirk, how come they're not already in the Hero Course?"_

"_Simple—it's a Quirk that only works on people. The entrance exam uses robots for the practical portion, which makes Quirks like Shinso's useless. Clearly, we need to revamp how we evaluate Quirks."_

"_You want to bring it up at the next teachers' meeting, go right ahead. Still, let's give it up for Shinso, the first student to advance to the next round!"_

…

"That really sucks," Ashido said. Gone was her good cheer; she was genuinely sad that Asui had lost.

"Shinso-san has a powerful Quirk," Uraraka said nervously. "Deku-kun, if you beat Shiozaki-san, you'll have to go against him!"

"Yeah, I guess," Midoriya mumbled. "I have to _beat _Shiozaki-san first, and I don't know enough about her Quirk…"

Everyone else smiled fondly as Midoriya rambled, but all of their attention shifted when Asui rejoined them.

"Hey, Tsu," Sero said with an easy smile. "How're you doing?"

Asui sat next to him, slumping more than usual. "I feel like I let you all down, ribbit."

"Nonsense!" Iida waved his hand wildly, and Uraraka had to lean out of the way to avoid getting chopped on the head. "You had no idea what Shinso-san was capable of, and you were still able to make it to the top sixteen in your very first Sports Festival! If anything, this is something to be proud of!"

Asui managed a tiny smile. "Thanks, ribbit."

Yaoyorozu leaned over and hugged her. "Just look at this as a milestone, a hurdle to surpass next year!"

"She's right," Sero said with a grin. "And with those jumping skills, you'll totally get over that hurdle!"

Asui's smile grew; somewhat worryingly, so did Ashido's.

"Subtle way to compliment her on her legs, Sero," she said with a saucy grin.

"Wha—" Sero's composure finally broke, and his face went red. "That's not what I meant!"

Asui blushed almost as badly as Sero did, and looked away. _I wouldn't mind if he did._

While the rest of the group either got embarrassed or laughed along with Ashido, their other classmates were keeping an ear out for the next announcement. Thankfully, Shoji was there to tap Uraraka on the shoulder.

"Uraraka-san, your match is going to start in a few minutes," he said through an extra mouth. "Technically, you should have been in a waiting room by now."

"Eep! Thanks, Shoji-san! Sorry, guys, I gotta go!" Uraraka smiled nervously. "See one of you in the finals!"

"Good luck, Uraraka!" Ashido called out as the other girl ran off.

"Hey, Midoriya." Midoriya turned to face Asui, who had mostly regained her composure. "I know that you have to get through your first round, but if you face Shinso-san, there's something you should know, ribbit."

Midoriya nodded. "Sure, go ahead."

"I think his Quirk has something to do with talking to him." She shrugged. "Maybe you have to answer a question before he can control you, ribbit."

"Thanks, Tsuyu." Midoriya smiled. "That helps a lot. And if I _do _face him, I'll beat him for both of us!"

…

"_Let's get started with the next fight! From the Hero Course's Class 1-A, he's the noble warrior with the demon inside, it's Tokoyami Fumikage!"_

Excited cheers greeted Tokoyami as he stepped into the ring, though he didn't react to it, and settled for waiting stoically.

"_And let's give it up for his opponent! Also from Class 1-A, she's the girl who defies gravity, but doesn't need a broomstick to do it! Let's hear some applause for Uraraka Ochako!"_

Unlike her opponent, Uraraka shyly waved at the crowd as she walked. Her adorable nature and friendly response immediately endeared her to many in the crowd.

"Hi, Tokoyami-san," she said. "Congrats on making it to the final event."

Tokoyami inclined his head. "Thank you, Uraraka-san. Congratulations to you as well; your performance during the Cavalry Battle was unexpected, to say the least."

"All right, kids, are you done?" Midnight sounded impatient, but her gentle smile told them that she didn't mind. "Are you both ready?"

"I am," Tokoyami said.

"Yes, Midnight-sensei!"

Midnight raised her whip. "All right… begin!"

"Dark Shadow!"

"_I'll get her!" _Dark Shadow dashed out of his partner's torso, claws outstretched.

Uraraka took a deep breath, placed her hand against her shoulder to apply her Quirk, and then kicked off at a forward angle. Dark Shadow flew under her, but just close enough that Uraraka was able to twist and kick the living Quirk in the head. The point of the kick wasn't to hurt Dark Shadow—in fact, nobody in her class was quite sure if Dark Shadow _could _be hurt—but to shift her angle and send her flying towards Tokoyami.

She pressed her fingertips together. "Release!"

With gravity suddenly restored, Uraraka plunged straight towards Tokoyami with one fist drawn back. She tried to punch the boy in the face, but her move was telegraphed, and Tokoyami stepped aside.

"A good try, Uraraka-san," Tokoyami said, "but it was quite obvious."

"_And you're wide open!" _Dark Shadow added gleefully as he turned and grabbed Uraraka by the leg.

Uraraka had no way of reaching Tokoyami with Dark Shadow grabbing her. That left an option that had no guarantee of working. Acting quickly, she slapped Dark Shadow in the face. Considering that he was a shadow, albeit one with mass, she wasn't sure how Zero-Gravity would work, but she had to try.

Instead of floating harmlessly upwards, the Quirk writhed in place; he couldn't seem to go anywhere. _"Hey, what gives? I can't move right!"_

Before Uraraka could even feel good about her minor victory, she felt a fist bury itself between her shoulder blades, and she fell to her knees.

"You seem to have forgotten that I am also capable of fighting, though I admit that I am not that skilled," Tokoyami said as he grabbed her wrists. "I will be freeing Dark Shadow now."

Uraraka tried to pull free, but Tokoyami had leverage, and forced her hands together; it was sloppy, but her fingertips still touched, releasing her Quirk. This time, when Dark Shadow grabbed her, he just roared and threw her out of the ring.

"Uraraka is out of bounds!" Midnight shouted. "The winner is Tokoyami!"

"_Talk about underestimating both fighters!" _Present Mic said. _"Uraraka definitely has more fight in her than it seems, and Tokoyami doesn't let Dark Shadow do _all _the work for him!"_

"_She kept shifting all of her attention from one target to another," _Aizawa added. _"If she'd kept both of them in her field of vision, neither of them would have been able to get the jump on her."_

"_Good point, co-host! Let's give it up for both of our competitors! Only Tokoyami is moving on, but Uraraka put up a good fight!"_

As soon as the fight had ended, Tokoyami had walked over to Uraraka and extended a hand. "Are you all right, Uraraka-san? I apologize; Dark Shadow can become somewhat brutal when he is angry."

Uraraka accepted the helping hand. "It's okay, Tokoyami-san; I'm fine. Good luck in your next round."

She was a little proud of herself for holding her head high, and for holding back her tears until she was back inside her waiting room.

_I lost. I'm so sorry, Mom, Daddy… I wanted to do better…_

…

Midoriya was starting to get worried when Uraraka didn't rejoin them after a few minutes. The next bout had already begun, but it didn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. Kirishima was facing Tetsutetsu, but since both boys had almost identical Quirks, the fight had turned into a—if Midoriya was being honest—kind of boring slugfest. Iida had already left to prepare for his match, and Midoriya had the idea to use something similar as an excuse.

"I think I'll head for my waiting room," he said, standing up. "Can you all cheer on Iida for me?"

"Sure thing, Midori!" Ashido rested her chin in one hand and waved him off with the other. She seemed particularly invested in Kirishima's fight, but she did grin when Midoriya was gone. "He's totally going to check on Uraraka, right?"

Yaoyorozu smiled. "Without a doubt."

"Definitely, ribbit."

Sero grinned. "Dude's totally gonna earn points with her."

"Like you earned with Tsu?" Ashido giggled as Sero and Asui blushed again, and then grinned at Yaoyorozu. "You're next, just so you know."

Yaoyorozu rolled her eyes. "I have no intention of supplying you with ammunition."

"Challenge accepted."

…

It didn't take long for Midoriya to find Uraraka's room, but before he opened the door, he heard a voice. He wasn't one for eavesdropping, but he also didn't want to just barge in on Uraraka's conversation, so he just stood there.

"—I know, Daddy, but I still wish I'd done better; not just for you, but for all my friends. We promised to make it to the final event, but… well, yeah, I guess I kept that promise, but I didn't want to get knocked out during the first match… Okay, thanks. I, uh, I need to go; I want to cheer on my friends… I love you too, bye."

As soon as Uraraka hung up, Midoriya opened the door. "H-hey, Uraraka, can I come in?"

Uraraka yelped and spun around, her phone still in hand; it didn't escape Midoriya's notice that there were tears in her eyes. "Oh, Deku-kun! Sure, come on in! Wait, how long were you outside that door?"

"J-just long enough to hear the end of your call," he admitted. "I'm really sorry, I just wanted to see how you were doing."

Uraraka smiled weakly as she put away her phone. "Well, if you heard my call… it really stinks that I didn't make it past the first match. I mean, I knew Tokoyami was strong, so I didn't _expect _to win, but I didn't even land a hit on him."

Midoriya frowned and walked closer. "Uraraka, you shouldn't say that you didn't expect to win. You're amazing, and you put Dark Shadow out of commission! You should be proud!"

Uraraka blushed. "Th-thanks, Deku-kun. You know, you can call me by my first name here, right?"

"O-oh, r-right. Sorry, Ochako, I just…" he shrugged helplessly. "A-anyway, I just wanted to see if you were okay."

"I'll be fine," Uraraka promised. "So, uh, how's the match right now?"

"It looks like it'll take a while, and Iida is waiting for his match with Hatsume." Midoriya hesitated, then stood next to her. "I want to cheer for Iida, but he'll understand if I'm checking on you."

"Aw, that's so sweet, Deku-kun." Uraraka leaned against him and smiled. "Seriously, though, I'm just a little bummed out. I'll be cheering for you, and all our friends, I promise."

"Still…" Midoriya swallowed nervously, and then wrapped his arms around her. "You did great today, even if you didn't win."

Uraraka sniffed, but didn't say anything; she just leaned into his embrace. Finally, after what seemed like forever, they heard Present Mic announce that Kirishima's match had ended in a draw, and that there would have to be a lesser contest to determine a winner.

"Iida is gonna be out there soon," Uraraka said, and reluctantly pulled out of Midoriya's arms. "I'll cheer him on for both of us, okay?"

Midoriya nodded. "Sure thing."

Uraraka turned to leave, but then turned back. "Um, Deku-kun?"

"Yeah?"

For a second, Uraraka almost gave in to her urge to kiss him on the cheek. Midoriya was just being so _nice_, and she almost couldn't help herself. She told herself that it was just a friendly thing, that there would be nothing beyond that… and she almost believed it. However, her nerves failed her, and she stopped herself.

"Thanks again," she said, and then dashed out of the room. "Goodluckinyourmatchbye!"

Midoriya scratched his head as the door closed behind her. "What was that about?"

Ben grinned. "Oh, I have _no _idea."

…

Uraraka rejoined her friends in the stands just as Kirishima defeated Tetsutetsu in arm-wrestling. "Hey, guys!"

"Good to see you, Ochako," Yaoyorozu said as Uraraka sat between her and Asui. "You didn't bring Midori with you?"

Uraraka blushed a little and shook her head. "No, he's gonna wait until his match is called."

"How are you feeling, Ochako?" Asui asked.

She smiled. "I'm doing okay, Tsu; I still wish I'd won, but Deku-kun got me out of the funk I was falling into."

Ashido turned to her with a wide grin. "And _how _did he do that?"

Still a little red in the face, Uraraka tried to look dignified. "That's between him and me."

Ashido's smile only grew, but she didn't press. "If you say so. Hey, they announced Iida's fight when we—what the hell is he doing out there!?"

Iida's friends stared as he came striding into the arena, completely decked out in Support Items. When questioned by Midnight, he explained that he and Hatsume had agreed that both of them using her creations was fair.

What followed was a circus of a fight. Iida tried to take it seriously, but Hatsume used every opportunity to just advertise her creations. Also, Iida wasn't completely sure how to _use _the Support Items Hatsume had provided; that gave her the chance to explain said items in greater detail. She even hacked the sound system of the arena to better broadcast her words. By the time she got through the many Support Items she'd brought, the time had almost run out on the fight. Still, she was satisfied, and deliberately walked out of bounds to give Iida the win.

"I'm so confused," Sero said, though he looked like he was on the verge of laughing.

Yaoyorozu seemed to be in the same boat. "I believe that she used this match as a… commercial?"

Ashido, on the other hand, had to fight through hysterics to speak. "W-well, at least Iida won, right? He's the first one of us to make it to the second match!"

"Yeah, but he'll be going up against either you or Yaomomo, ribbit," Asui reminded her.

Ashido pouted. "Dang it, you're right."

"Speaking of which," Yaoyorozu said, "after Midoriya's match, we should head down to the waiting rooms, Ashido."

"Yeah, good idea." Ashido brightened as Iida returned. "Hey, it's Billboard-san! How does it feel to be a walking advertisement?"

Iida held himself up with as much dignity as he could, despite how his friends grinned at him. "I will admit, I didn't expect my first match to be quite so… silly. However, I am still moving on to the next bout; unfortunately, I will be facing either you or Yaomomo."

Ashido went back to pouting. "Yeah, I was kinda hoping that more of us would make it to at least the second fight. Tsu and Uraraka are out, only Yaomomo or I are moving on, and Sero…"

Sero grimaced. "Yeah, I'm facing Bakugo." He glanced behind him, where his opponent wasn't even deigning to look at anyone else. "I'm not looking forward to that."

"Hey, if you manage to rip his eyebrows off with your tape, I'll pay you," Ashido offered.

"Okay, that _would_ be funny, if it didn't result in my death by explosion."

"Offer is still on the table."

The six of them shared an uneasy chuckle, but then Present Mic's voice caught their attention.

"_All right, let's get ready for our next match! In Class 1-B, it's the topiary terror, the foliage fighter, the girl with the green… hair? Give it up for Shiozaki Ibara!"_

More than one girl couldn't help but feel a stab of jealousy as the 1-B student arrived. She had a grace and beauty few of them could ever hope to match. Even the thorny vines that replaced her hair had an ethereal quality to them. Shiozaki walked serenely, almost as if she was strolling through a garden, not heading to a fight. However, before the crowd could get too worked up, she raised her hand and looked up at the announcer's booth.

"Excuse me?" she said in a voice that was soft and kind. "Could you please refrain from introducing me with such aggressive titles? That is far from the image I wish to convey."

"_Um… okay?" _Present Mic cleared his throat and continued. _"And her opponent from Class 1-A, it's the boy that should never be underestimated, no matter how plain he looks! He's the wildcard wonder, the transforming titan—let's hear it for Midoriya Izuku!"_

Unlike with Shiozaki, who had cut off her own applause at the knees, the crowd went wild for Midoriya. Everyone had been shocked by what he had revealed so far, and the possibility of seeing more got them pumped up.

For his part, Midoriya shyly waved as he walked into the ring, and tried not to feel too embarrassed.

…

"Ooh, this is gonna be awesome!" Hado practically vibrated as she stared intently at the phone. "Go, Midoriya-kun! You can do it!"

"What do you think he'll turn into for this one?" Amajiki asked.

Togata grinned. "Going by his opponent, I think I may know this time."

…

"Greetings, Midoriya-san," Shiozaki said with a polite bow. "I have been surprised by you so far today. Truly, you have shown great talent."

Taken aback by her almost matter-of-fact compliment, Midoriya hastily bowed back. "Um, th-thank you, Shiozaki-san. Good luck, I guess, but I _do _plan to win."

Shiozaki nodded. "As do I."

"Are both fighters ready?" Midnight asked.

Midoriya took a deep breath, and then held his hand over the Ultimatrix; he had already made his decision, and just needed to slap the dial. "Ready."

Shiozaki clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. "I am ready."

"Begin!"

Shiozaki's vines writhed as they plunged into the ground. At the same time, Midoriya vanished in a flash of green light. The vines shot up from underneath him just as the light faded; before they reached him, the vines burned to a crisp.

"HEATBLAST!"

…

The crowd gasped as they got a good look at Midoriya's latest transformation. Next to All Might, Gran Torino threw up his hands.

"Okay, I give up," he said. "I knew he had a lot of forms, but there is _way _too much variety. How is that kid not dead from his own Quirk?"

"I believe that Nezu-san mentioned that his watch helps keep him stable," Nighteye said. "Still, this one seems rather dangerous."

"It is," All Might confirmed. "He used that one to defeat Nomu; considering how powerful he was, I'm a little worried for young Shiozaki. I hope young Midoriya knows what he's doing."

…

"Interesting," Shiozaki said calmly. "Your heat can kill my vines before they even reach you."

Heatblast shrugged. "You can just surrender, if you want."

"I appreciate the offer, but for the honor of my class, I must persevere." Shiozaki's expression grew more determined. "And while I cannot hit you with my vines, there are other things I can do."

To Heatblast's surprise, Shiozaki's vines plunged into the ground again. This time, they ripped out a chunk of stone and hurled it at him with the force of a catapult.

_How strong are her vines!? _He thought as he threw himself to the side, and then sent a column of fire at his opponent. With lightning-fast reflexes, Shiozaki ripped another piece of the ring up to block his fire. _Okay, so her Quirk is fast and strong. As long as she can tear up the ground, she can block any direct attacks, and since no one is stopping her, I guess that's allowed._

"I pray that you dodge this as well, Midoriya-san!" Shiozaki's vines split from one concentrated mass into a thorny swarm of serpents. Each vine picked up a smaller stone, and dozens of them were thrown at him from different directions.

"Oh, crap," Heatblast muttered; at the last second, he intensified his own heat, creating a pressure wave that superheated and slowed down the stones, but it didn't stop them. Instinctively, he closed his eyes and raised his arms to shield himself from the impact… but it never came.

When Heatblast opened his eyes, he saw that the rocks, now glowing orange, were hovering mere inches away from him.

"Huh," he said, almost to himself. "Geokinesis. I forgot about that."

"_Interesting," _Aizawa commented. _"It looks like Midoriya can use that form to control things that are affected by his heat. Rocks, at least."_

"_I guess you could say that his rock playlist is on fire, right?"_

"_I hate you, and everything you stand for."_

Heatblast grinned, and then pushed one hand forward. The stones flew right back at Shiozaki, who quickly turned around and plunged her vines back into the ground; they sprouted back up and formed a massive wall to block the stones. Heatblast used the distraction to burn the rest of the wall to ashes.

Shiozaki was far from finished; splitting her vines into two large bunches, she carved up two huge pieces of stone and brought them around to Heatblast's sides. She slammed them together like a stone sandwich, with Heatblast as the filling. At first, everyone thought that that was it—a few people worried that Shiozaki might have actually killed him—but then the stone glowed, cracked, and exploded outward, leaving Heatblast a little staggered, but otherwise unharmed.

_I'm lucky she hasn't tried to throw me out of the ring with a move like that, _he thought. _Even if I can block the rocks she throws at me, she's just going to keep at it until one of us makes a mistake. Okay, I know about her Quirk now, but what else can I use? Her fighting style? She just sort of stands there, and doesn't… move…_

Struck by inspiration, Heatblast shot a look at the ground until he found what he'd been hoping for.

"Hey, Shiozaki-san!" he called out. "One last chance to surrender!"

Shiozaki still had her back to him. "I respectfully decline."

"Then I'm really sorry!"

Shiozaki turned her head so that she could see him with one eye. "For what?"

"This!"

Heatblast pointed both hands at a hole in the ground—the first hole Shiozaki had created—and shot out a wave of fire. The flame traveled down the tunnel, splitting off into the others Shiozaki had made, and going to the origin of each. Heatblast had kept his output low—he didn't want to cause serious injury—but he still flinched when he heard Shiozaki's shriek of pain as the fire engulfed her.

He stopped almost immediately, and started running before Shiozaki finished collapsing to the ground. She was unconscious and covered in burns; none of them looked too serious, but they had to have been painful. Her gym uniform was charred, and her vines had been burned away almost to her scalp.

"Shiozaki is unconscious!" Midnight shouted. "Midoriya wins!"

Midoriya felt sick as he turned back to normal. He wanted to win, sure, but he'd never wanted to hurt a fellow would-be Hero. Instead of waving to the crowd to celebrate his victory, he followed the small robots that placed Shiozaki on a stretcher and carried her out of the arena. He needed to apologize as soon as she woke up.

…

"_Look at that sportsmanship, folks! Midoriya clearly has a good heart. Don't worry, everyone, our own Recovery Girl is on standby; Shiozaki will be up and about soon enough! Speaking of 'soon', let's take a short break while Cementoss repairs the ring!"_

"Way to go, Deku-kun!" Uraraka shouted over the roar of the crowd. "Did you guys see that? He was awesome!"

"Hell yeah!" Ashido gave the other girl a fist-bump—because of Uraraka's Quirk, high-fives were off the table. "I was seriously worried when he got squished by those big rocks, but then he made them explode, and, and… wow!"

"I do feel bad for his opponent, though," Iida said. "It was difficult to see from here, but I imagine that those burns were unpleasant."

"Hey, he's going with her to Recovery Girl," Sero pointed out. "That was pretty cool of him."

Asui noticed that there were fewer people in the 1-B section than before. "I think he's going to have company soon, ribbit."

…

"I can't say that I'm particularly happy that _you _caused these injuries," Recovery Girl said. "However, it was kind of you to escort the young lady here."

Midoriya nodded; he might have won the match, but he felt terrible for hurting Shiozaki as badly as he had. "Is she going to be okay?"

Recovery Girl huffed. "Of course, boy; these burns aren't too serious." She leaned over and kissed Shiozaki on the forehead; in seconds, the burns faded, and even the nubs of vine on her head looked more vibrant. "She'll wake up soon; if I'm not here, tell her to rest and drink plenty of fluids. It'll help her skin, and speed up the growth of her vines."

"Yes, ma'am." Midoriya turned back to Shiozaki, only to spin right back around when the door slammed open.

"Recovery Girl, is she okay!?" For a second, Midoriya thought that Kirishima's hair had gone grey, but then he recognized Tetsutetsu for who he was. He also recognized Kendo Itsuka, who was right behind him.

"She'll be fine!" Recovery Girl snapped, and then rolled her eyes. "Young people, always worrying I don't know how to do my job!"

While Recovery Girl fumed, the 1-B students ran over to where Shiozaki was sleeping. Midoriya stood and bowed.

"I'm r-really sorry!" he half-shouted. "I d-didn't mean to hurt her! I mean, I _was _t-trying to win, but I didn't think I'd do this much damage, and—"

"Hey, it's okay," Kendo said gently, holding out her hand to make him stop. "This kind of thing is why we all signed waivers when we started at UA, right?"

"Uh…" Midoriya's mind went blank, until he remembered that he and his mother had signed just such a form amidst the stack of paperwork that came with attending UA. "Right. Still, I'm so sorry."

"Hey, man, it's cool," Tetsutetsu said. "Shiozaki's tougher than she looks; I bet you anything that, by tomorrow, she'll look like nothing happened. Still, it's really manly of you to go with her to Recovery Girl; between you and Kirishima, your class might not be so bad after all."

"Thanks?" Midoriya just hoped that the good outweighed the bad—also known as Bakugo and Mineta.

"Ugh…" the three students turned to see Shiozaki sitting up, holding a hand to her head. "That was unpleasant." She opened her eyes and saw her visitors. "Oh! Hello, everyone. I assume that I lost my match?"

Kendo sat next to her. "Yeah, looks like I'm the only one from our class who's still in the fight."

"U-um, Shiozaki-san?" Midoriya bowed again. "I'm sorry for hurting you."

Shiozaki smiled kindly. "It is fine, Midoriya-san; as you can see, I am doing better. Might I ask, did Recovery Girl say anything I should know about?"

"Just to rest and drink fluids," Midoriya repeated.

"Wonderful!" Shiozaki accepted the cup of water Tetsutetsu got for her from the water cooler in the corner. "Thank you, Tetsutetsu; water and sunlight will help my vines grow back faster, Midoriya-san, so it might be beneficial to my health if I go back and watch Kendo in her match."

Midoriya nodded, intrigued at that little tidbit about Shiozaki's Quirk. Still, he had done what he'd set out to do, and politely excused himself.

"Oh, Midoriya-san?" Midoriya turned to see that Shiozaki's smile had become a little more sincere. "Thank you for coming here to see me; I appreciate it. And I will be cheering you on, unless you are facing Kendo, but I believe that will only happen if you both make it to the semifinals. Good luck to you."

Midoriya left, but then Kendo was walking next to him in the hallway. "My match is next," she explained. "I don't suppose you've got any tips for facing Todoroki-san?"

Loyalty to his class made him hesitate, but then he thought back to how intense Todoroki had been lately.

"He's strong," he finally said. "If you don't get in the first hit, you're going to lose."

Kendo's eyes widened, and she nervously played with her side-ponytail. "Okay, so he's _that _strong. Good to know; don't worry, I won't tell anyone that you gave me any kind of advice."

"I'd appreciate that." Midoriya shuddered at what Bakugo might do if he ever found out he'd helped someone 'inferior'.

…

"Deku-kun!" Uraraka practically leapt out of her seat to grab her friend in a hug. "Congratulations, that was awesome!"

With her head tucked under his chin, Uraraka never saw Midoriya's face go red. "Th-thanks, Uraraka."

Ashido reached out and ruffled his hair. "Yeah, you kicked ass out there!"

With her arms around him, Uraraka could feel Midoriya's flinch. "R-right."

Uraraka let go and looked up at him in concern. "Is something wrong, Deku-kun? Is Shiozaki-san okay?"

Midoriya sat down amidst his friends. "She's going to be fine, but I felt terrible about hurting her."

Uraraka felt like slapping herself. Midoriya was one of the kindest people she knew; of _course _he would be upset by hurting someone who didn't have it coming. She wished she knew what to say to help him.

Fortunately, Yaoyorozu did. "Midoriya, I'm sure that Shiozaki-san would be more upset that you would let this stop you than the fact that she lost. Remember, the Sports Festival is about showing off what we can do; you know better than most that some Heroes have to be particularly… brutal when it comes to defeating powerful Villains. Your match just proves that you are capable of doing so, but that you are also compassionate, even for someone you barely know. That's the kind of thing that shows that you'll be a great Hero."

Midoriya futilely wiped at the tears spilling down his face. "Th-thanks, Yaomomo; I needed to hear that."

Uraraka smiled, but she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Yaoyorozu always seemed to know what to say or do whenever Midoriya had a problem. It made Uraraka feel useless.

Still, as the next match was called, Uraraka was shocked, embarrassed, and a little delighted when Midoriya leaned against her ever-so-slightly, and rested the back of his hand against hers.

_Okay, this is nice, _she thought. _I guess Yaomomo told him what he needed to hear to get out of that funk, but he needs this to keep him grounded._

She almost laughed at the irony, and then turned her attention to the match.

"_All right, folks, let's introduce our next combatants! From the Hero Course's Class 1-B, it's the kung fu girl with the heavyweight hands, the ginger grappler—give it up for Kendo Itsuka!"_

Kendo waved up at the crowd enthusiastically, even striking a confident pose as she walked. Even without ever speaking to her before, Uraraka found herself liking the girl.

"_And her opponent from Class 1-A, he's got ice, he's got fire, but don't expect a song from this stoic student, it's Todoroki Shoto!"_

Uraraka cheered for her classmate, but next to her, she felt Midoriya tense up. She remembered how Todoroki had called him out before the Sports Festival began, and how he had pulled Midoriya aside after the second event, and wondered if that had anything to do with it.

She couldn't help but frown. What was it with two of the strongest boys in her class making her friend so upset?

In the ring, Todoroki curtly informed Midnight that he was ready; Kendo was more enthusiastic, but she never took her eyes off her opponent. To Uraraka's inexperienced eye, it seemed that Kendo knew what she was doing.

Midnight raised her whip, and then brought it down. "Begin!"

Almost before the word left Midnight's lips, Todoroki took a step forward with his right foot and turned half of the ring into an ice rink in two seconds. At first, Uraraka thought that the ice would freeze Kendo's feet, but to her surprise, Kendo had jumped just in time. She then began skating across the ice; it wasn't perfect, and she had to expand her hands to nearly the size of her body to act as rudders, but she was able to get into Todoroki's face.

"She's only got one shot," Midoriya muttered. "If she doesn't take him down here, she'll lose."

Uraraka wondered how he knew that; maybe Todoroki had told him that he wouldn't hold back for this part of the Sports Festival. More worryingly, maybe he _hadn't_, and Midoriya had somehow seen it.

Either way, she would later replay what happened next several times on her phone to figure out the exact order of events.

It started with Kendo bringing her right hand into Todoroki's shoulder, but just before it impacted, a blunt spike of ice sprouted up and hit her wrist. Kendo was surprised for less than half a second, but that was all Todoroki needed to grab her left hand with his right. A thin coat of ice covered Kendo's left side, but the enhanced strength of her enlarged hand started to crack it. Todoroki frowned, and then shifted his foot; in two seconds, an entire glacier was formed around Kendo, with only her head and some of her fingers still exposed.

Uraraka leaned back; not just in shock, but because the ice from the glacier would have hit her if she hadn't. Most of her classmates had either ducked down, or were copying her. It took her a moment to realize that Midoriya had started to lean in front of her, his hand hovering over his watch.

_He was trying to protect me, _she thought. From the way Midoriya was rapidly blinking and glancing around, he had reacted unconsciously.

"Is… is everyone okay?" Midoriya asked.

Yaoyorozu put a hand on her chest as she tried to get her heartrate under control. "I'm fine."

"So am I, ribbit," Asui said with a shiver.

"Me, too," Ashido said, and then grabbed Yaoyorozu's hand. "Come on, Yaomomo, let's go to our waiting rooms early. It's safer down there."

"I think everyone is well," Iida said, eyes scanning not just the Rising Stars, but also the rest of the class. "Either Todoroki-san has exceptional control over his Quirk, or we are all very lucky."

In Uraraka's opinion, it was probably the latter. Further conversation ended when Midnight stepped off her podium, said something Uraraka couldn't hear, and then waved her whip.

"_There you have it, folks!" _Present Mic announced. _"Kendo has surrendered! It might be too early to say so, but with power like that, I think Todoroki might be a shoe-in for the finals! He might even win the whole thing without breaking a sweat!"_

Uraraka couldn't help but agree with him; off the top of her head, she could think of few Heroes could put out the kind of power Todoroki had just exhibited. And Midoriya would have to face him if they both made it to the semifinals.

She glanced at him worriedly; instead of looking nervous, however, he almost looked sad as Todoroki quickly thawed Kendo out of the ice.

_What is it you know that the rest of us don't?_

…

It took almost twenty minutes for the ice to get cleared away. By the time it was, Bakugo was more than ready for his match; he was just disappointed with who his opponent was.

_Out of everyone, I get Sticky for round one, _he thought bitterly. _I couldn't get Glasses, or Ponytail, or Icy-Hot; shit, I couldn't even get Kirishima!_

The only opponent he didn't want for his first fight was Deku; ironically, he _wanted _the nerd to make it to the finals, just so he could crush him while getting the most attention. He was actually glad that Deku was in the other half of the brackets, because they could _only _meet in the finals.

Finally, he received the go-ahead to make his way into the arena; after the introductions so far, he was a little curious to see how Present Mic would hype him up.

"_From Class 1-A, it's the blonde bomber, the angry artillerist, the grand grenadier—give it up for Bakugo Katsuki!"_

"Heh. Not bad," Bakugo admitted quietly to himself as the crowd roared.

"_And his opponent, also from Class 1-A—he may have weird elbows, but don't underestimate him, or you'll be in a sticky situation! It's Sero Hanta!"_

Across from Bakugo, Sticky stretched out his arms and grimaced. "Yeah, take a shot at the elbows, nothing new there."

Bakugo cracked his neck. "Hey, Sticky, I've got a question."

"Yeah, what's up?"

"You and Deku are tight, yeah?" Bakugo glanced up at the stands and saw Deku watching nervously; the nerd had Frog, Glasses and Round-Face close by, and probably would have had the rest of his babysitters if they weren't getting ready for their match.

"I'd say we're friends," Sticky said ambivalently.

"Good." Bakugo grinned. "I want to see Deku's reaction when I beat the crap out of you."

Sticky's own smile never wavered. "Good luck with that, dude."

"Are you boys ready?" Midnight asked; she was giving Bakugo a warning look, not that he cared. All he had to do was tone it down enough that he didn't cripple or kill his opponent.

"I'm ready," Sticky said.

"Let's do this."

Midnight gave Bakugo one more look, and then nodded. "Begin!"

Bakugo aimed his palms behind him and let out a stream of explosions that sent him rocketing forward. "Blast Rush Turbo!"

Sticky aimed one elbow and fired his tape—not at Bakugo, but the ground under him, and reeled himself forward at impressive speeds. Bakugo reached out with his right hand for a point-blank explosion, only for Sticky to shoot out another strand of tape at the last second and pulled himself to the right.

Bakugo's explosion only sent his opponent staggering, but Sticky recovered and snagged his leg with more tape. With a heave, he yanked Bakugo to the ground, and if he hadn't cushioned the impact with a small explosion, it would have hurt a lot more than it did.

"Hey, look at that," Sticky teased. "You _do _lead with your right."

_How the hell did he know—Deku. _Bakugo's eye started to twitch. _Of course he'd know something like that and share it with his weakling friends._

Sticky shot out more tape, but Bakugo reached out and incinerated it with another explosion before it could get him.

"Okay, enough of this shit," he snarled, and braced himself. "DIE!"

A huge explosion, bigger than anything he'd shown off at UA before, rocked the arena. It was so powerful that there was literally no way for Sticky to avoid enough of the blast, and when the smoke cleared, he was in a heap against a wall. His uniform was shredded and smoking, he was covered in burns, and he was clearly unconscious.

Bakugo grimaced and rubbed his wrist; using his super-explosions without his gauntlets always hurt, but they were the perfect trump card in a fight like this.

"Sero is unconscious and out of bounds!" Midnight declared. "The winner is Bakugo!"

Unlike with his introduction, there were fewer cheers for his victory. Bakugo just sneered; if they were scared, that was their problem. He was about to leave, but Midnight stopped him.

"I'm giving you a warning now," she said. "If you pull a stunt like that again and put a student's life at risk, not only will I disqualify you, but your future in UA will be reconsidered. Is that understood?"

Bakugo used every ounce of self-control not to scowl at her. "Understood, Midnight-sensei."

_What is it with this school? _He thought as he walked away. _I won, and I proved that I'm strong. Isn't that what being a Hero is all about? That's what All Might does all the time, right?_

…

Ashido nervously bounced from one foot to the other. She wasn't just nervous about her match—Yaoyorozu was easily one of the best students in class—but because she'd heard Present Mic going on about how Sero was quickly being taken to the infirmary. As soon as her own match was over, she would head over there and see how he was doing.

Strangely, the idea of going out to fight Yaoyorozu was a bit comforting; it took her mind off of Sero.

"Some of the others will be there with him," she told herself. "Tsu definitely will; Midori and Ochako, too. Tenya will probably stay in the stands to let everyone know how the match goes. Yeah, that sounds like him." She looked up and saw the light signaling her to head out. "Okay, looks like it's my turn. I hope Present Mic rings me in with something cool."

With the biggest smile she could muster, Ashido jogged out into the arena, which had been repaired after Bakugo's short rampage.

"_From Class 1-A, it's the girl with acid for blood and horns that make no sense, the pink partier, the acidic ace—give it up for Ashido Mina!"_

Ashido waved and blew kisses to the crowd; she loved putting on a show. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Iida in the stands with about half of the class, but the rest of her friends were absent. She giggled when he gave her two thumbs-up.

_Yep, called it._

"_And her opponent, the Class President of 1-A! She's got looks, she's got smarts, and she's got a Quirk that'll knock your socks off! It's the brainy beauty, the classy creator—give a big hand for Yaoyorozu Momo!"_

Ashido grinned as her friend stepped into view. "And I thought _I _liked showing off. Nice look, Yaomomo."

Yaoyorozu ignored the catcalls from the audience. She had rolled up her sleeves and unzipped her top, revealing a black sports bra. She had also taken a page out of Iida's book and rolled up her pants to just above the knees.

That was enough to tell Ashido that she was serious; with that much skin exposed, Yaoyorozu had plenty of places she could use her Quirk.

"Just know that I respect you enough as an opponent, and as a friend, to take this seriously," Yaoyorozu said, though she didn't hide the small smile.

"Okay, ladies, are you ready?" Midnight asked.

"Yes, Midnight-sensei!" both girls said at once.

"All right… begin!"

Ashido made the first move, skating across the ring and leaving a trail of acid in her wake. Her goal was to get in close, melt anything Yaoyorozu threw at her, and wear her down until she ran out of lipids.

At first, her plan seemed to work. Yaoyorozu created a long pole from her arm and tried to clothesline her; Ashido just coated her arms with acid and melted through it. Yaoyorozu then made a rectangular shield with the same arm and did her best to keep it between her and Ashido.

"Come on, Yaomomo," Ashido taunted, "you can do better than that!"

The only warning Ashido had was a smirk on her opponent's face, and then the shield flew off her arm and rocketed—literally, with four small rockets mounted to the corners—straight at her. Ashido was so surprised that she couldn't react in time; the shield clipped her shoulder and sent her spinning.

"Okay, ow," Ashido whined. "What the heck was _that_!?"

"Rocket fuel," Yaoyorozu said. "I'm sure you can figure out the rest."

Ashido's jaw dropped. "You can make _rocket fuel_!?"

"Much more than that!" With her other arm, the one she'd kept hidden with her shield until now, Yaoyorozu hurled a triple-weighted bolas at her.

Ashido flipped gracefully into the air to avoid it, but for a moment, she had no way to maneuver. Yaoyorozu took that moment to aim her palm at Ashido's face, and a long pole extended out. Ashido normally used her acid on her arms and feet, but that didn't mean she couldn't generate it elsewhere—highly corrosive acid dripped from her forehead in a thick bubble, melting the pole before it hit her.

Unfortunately, it was risky to use acid that potent around her face, and as soon as she landed on the ground, she wiped the acid off before it dripped into her eyes.

_Okay, so I avoided a concussion, but now I have an acid burn on my forehead. Ouch._

Yaoyorozu wasn't done; she pulled a large, weighted net from her stomach and hurled it at Ashido while she was distracted.

"You haven't learned at all, smart girl," Ashido called out, and swiped her arms downwards and across each other. "Acid X!"

The X-shaped wave of acid splashed against the net, but to Ashido's surprise, it only hissed a little as it fell over her.

"Sorry," Yaoyorozu said. "I've been coating my creations with stronger and stronger bases, trying to counteract your acid. It seems that I figured it out." Ashido frowned and started creating her more corrosive acid, but then Yaoyorozu strode up to her and created a large hammer. "By the time you melt through that, I'll have brought this down on your head. I suggest you surrender; I don't want to give you a concussion."

Ashido considered fighting on; she could call Yaoyorozu's bluff, but the girl had calculated every move to get to this point, and something told her that there were backup plans in case she couldn't force a surrender.

A small, petty part of her wanted to go for it anyway, just to make it harder for Yaoyorozu in the next match. She viciously quashed that part of her; just because she wanted to win didn't mean she was the type of person to sabotage a friend.

"I surrender," she declared.

Midnight raised her whip. "Ashido has forfeited! Yaoyorozu is the winner!"

The crowd cheered, and Yaoyorozu helped get the net off of Ashido, taking care not to touch the acid-coated parts.

"Good match," Yaoyorozu said kindly. "This probably would have ended differently if I hadn't had time to prepare."

"Thanks, Yaomomo." Ashido smiled, even if it was a little forced. "Come on, let's go check in on Sero."

…

When Sero woke up, it took him a minute to figure out what had happened. _Oh, right. I fought Bakugo. Kinda figured I'd be in the infirmary, but still… ow._

At least he wasn't alone; as soon as his eyes had opened, his vision was filled with the faces of his friends. He tried to sit up, only for Iida and Midoriya to gently push him back down onto the cot.

"Recovery Girl said not to move," Midoriya explained, but his voice sounded weird, like it was underwater.

"What's…" Sero coughed and winced when the half-healed burns on his face were pulled. "Why does everything sound weird?"

Midoriya flinched, which was a bad sign. "W-well, your eardrums were blown out. Recovery Girl says that you'll be fine in a few hours, but you can't take the bandages off your ears until then. You, um, you also…"

When Midoriya trailed off, Sero turned to Asui for a straight answer. "You're going to have a scar, ribbit."

Sero grimaced. "Is it bad?"

Yaoyorozu created a small mirror from her hand and held it up. "It's on the left side of your jaw."

Sure enough, there was a jagged scar, just in front of his ear, that ran a couple of inches up. It looked like it had happened a few weeks ago, not that day; he had Recovery Girl to thank for that.

"Anything else I need to worry about?" he asked as calmly as he could.

Uraraka shook her head. "You had some fractures, but Recovery Girl healed those. You just need to take it easy for a few days for the burns."

Sero thought about it; considering who he'd been fighting, it could have been a lot worse. "How about you guys? Did I miss anything?"

Ashido raised a hand. "I lost to Yaomomo, so out of the seven of us, only she, Midori and Iida are moving on."

"And Yaomomo and Iida are fighting next round," Sero said—he felt a little better knowing his mind wasn't so rattled that he couldn't remember that. "So only two of us can make it to the semifinals."

Midoriya nodded, but he looked miserable. "Sero, I'm really sorry. I should have told you more about the way Bakugo fights, or ways to avoid his Quirk—"

"Dude, relax," Sero interrupted. "Maybe I could have done better if there had been some terrain for me to use, but we were on a flat, open space. Honestly, I was lucky I got in _any _hits. Don't blame yourself, man."

Midoriya looked like he was going to argue, but then Uraraka put a hand on his shoulder and gently tugged him away. "Come on, Deku-kun, you need to get ready for your next match."

"R-right…"

Sero managed to hold in his laughter until the two were gone, even though it hurt when he let it out. "Oh, man, that's adorable."

Ashido grinned. "I know, right?"

Asui still looked upset—by her standards, at least. "Sero, are you really okay, ribbit? Not just physically."

"Eh, I can admit that I'm not a pure-combat type like Bakugo, so I was at a disadvantage." Sero smirked. "Besides, somewhere in Bakugo's mind, he knows that he got to this round because of me and Ashido, and that's gonna drive him crazy." He slowly stretched. "Hey, when did Recovery Girl say I could leave?"

"Not for at least an hour," Yaoyorozu said. "So you'll probably miss the next round of fights, but if you're lucky, you should be able to watch the semifinals."

"Cool." Sero settled into the cot and closed his eyes. "I'm just gonna rest, okay? Can you guys let me know how the matches go?" He suddenly winced, and his eyes opened again. "Wait, no, one of the fights is between Yaomomo and Iida. Hang on, I said that already; sorry, I guess I'm still a little out of it. Well, good luck to both of you."

"Thank you, Sero," Iida said, and headed for the door. "Yaomomo, we should prepare for our match."

"Right." Yaoyorozu smiled at them. "We'll do our best, everyone."

Ashido jumped up. "I'll head back to the stands and cheer for Midori. You coming, Tsu?"

Asui hesitated, then shook her head. "I'll stay here with Sero, ribbit. Can you tell me what happens after the fights?"

"Sure, make me run back and forth every ten minutes." Ashido pretended to pout, but only for a second. "No worries, guys; see you later!"

Soon, it was just Asui and Sero in the infirmary; the latter yawned, but then smiled. "Thanks for sticking around, Tsu."

"No problem." Asui waited for Sero to close his eyes, and then leaned in close to whisper in his ear.

"Ribbit."

Sero's eyes snapped open. "DAMMIT!"

…

"_Welcome back, everyone!" _Present Mic waited for the roaring crowd to calm down before continuing. _"I hope you all enjoyed that short break, because we're ready to start our next match!"_

"_It's about time," _Aizawa grumbled.

"_First up, let's hear it for our dark horse from General Studies! He may look as tired as Eraserhead, but he's got a Quirk that'll have even Pro Heroes quaking in their boots! Give it up for Shinso Hitoshi!"_

The crowd cheered as Shinso walked into the ring; he did a good job of keeping his features neutral, but he failed to completely hide his proud smirk.

"_And his opponent, the boy with more surprises than Christmas morning, it's Class 1-A's Midoriya Izuku! He may be the front-runner for the first-year events, but can even Midoriya stand against Shinso's Quirk? Let's find out!"_

"Hey," Shinso said as Midoriya approached, "no hard feelings, right?"

While the match hadn't started, Midoriya wasn't about to respond, just in case. Instead, he locked his jaw and nodded, while his hand hovered over the activated Ultimatrix.

"Are both combatants ready?" Midnight waited for both boys to nod. "All right… begin!"

**Hooray, another cliffhanger. Sorry, I'm just glad that I got all eight matches done in one chapter, even if two of them were basically done off-screen (off-page?). Most of these matches were randomized, though I did give myself a few rules. First, Midoriya couldn't fight Todoroki or Bakugo in the first round. Second, the Iida/Hatsume fight and Kirishima/Tetsutetsu fight would go on as before, because they were funny to me.**

**Some of you may be annoyed that Shiozaki gave Midoriya a hard time, despite the latter having a Pokemon-style type advantage, and due to how powerful Heatblast is. First, Shiozaki is one of the top students in the first year, going by her score in the entrance exam; second, Midoriya was doing his absolute best not to actually hurt her. Burns are not pretty, and a good-natured person like Midoriya would be at least a little traumatized by inflicting those kinds of injuries on someone who very much did not deserve it.**

**Oh, and I had way too much fun with Present Mic's intros for most of the fights, if you couldn't tell.**

**Anyway, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. It is available as a PDF on my website (link in my profile), or as either an eBook or physical copy on Amazon. Reviews and ratings are very welcome!**

**If you want to be a Muffin above all others, please consider donating on P-atreon (also a link in my profile). It helps me stay fed and other things I need to not die, and if I get enough patrons, I'll be able to afford to write fan fiction all the time!**

**Speaking of my patrons, here are some of my most powerful allies:**

**Serious Muffins: jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, John Collins, Calleo, Casey Pak, Red Bard, Ultimatrix10**

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**Ultra Muffins:**** Adam Costello, Jeffrey Perigo, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: The next round of fights! Midoriya faces Shinso, Todoroki goes up against Tokoyami, Yaoyorozu squares off against Iida, and Bakugo fights Kirishima!**

**Plus Muffin!**


	12. Round Two

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. SHIGARAKI HAS FOUR OUT OF FIVE FINGERS AROUND MY NECK, AND HE'LL KILL ME IF I DON'T KEEP WRITING. HE'S DISTRACTED WITH TETRIS, SO PLEASE SEND HELP.**

**With all that's going on, I thought you'd all like a chapter sooner. Stay safe and healthy!**

**Okay, time for round 2!**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 12

Round 2

"Begin!"

Midoriya slammed his hand down on the dial as quickly as he could; he hoped that his idea worked, because if not, Shinso would probably be able to take over his mind. He was honest enough to know that he probably wouldn't be able to stop himself from responding to one of Shinso's questions.

"Well, that's a strange one," Shinso said as the green light faded. "What do you call that form?"

Wildmutt responded with a combination of growls and barks. Shinso frowned when Wildmutt didn't go slack; his Quirk, Brainwashing, hadn't taken effect!

…

"Oh, cool!" Uraraka pointed at her friend in the arena. "I know that one! That was the first form Deku-kun showed me! He tried digging me out of some debris when I got trapped during the entrance exam."

"Really?" Ashido peered down at Wildmutt. "Weird. All of his other forms had a basic human shape, except for the flying one from earlier."

"It is fortunate he has such a form," Iida said. "It appears to make him immune to Shinso-san's Quirk."

"Yeah, that's pretty cool," Ashido admitted. "Looks like he'll have an easier time of it than last round."

…

"_Hey, it looks like Midoriya isn't reacting like Shinso's last opponent," _Present Mic commented. _"Any idea why, my favorite co-host?"_

"_It might be that Midoriya can't respond normally in that form, which means that he can't trigger Shinso's Quirk. And I'm your only co-host, I'm your favorite by default."_

Wildmutt ignored the commentary and charged at Shinso, who tried to dive to the side, and only partially succeeded. A large paw still managed to catch his leg and sent him tumbling. The boy struggled to his feet; he was trembling, but it wasn't from fear or pain.

"Of _course _you'd have a form that can resist my ability," he snapped. "That's just how it is with you Hero Course people, isn't it? The rest of us, we try and we try, but no matter how hard we push ourselves, you can do in days what takes us months. How does it feel to be so lucky, huh? Why do you get to excel, when I can't even get noticed!?"

Wildmutt growled and whined his answer—he was annoyed that Shinso had no idea that he _did _know what he was going through. For most of his life, he had dealt with people, even those with the most mundane of Quirks, looking down on him for having nothing at all. At least Shinso had a Quirk, and a powerful one at that; until he found the Ultimatrix, he had been seen as less than useless.

He had known that Shinso would be able to get under his skin—which was why he'd chosen Wildmutt to begin with—but now he had to win as quickly as possible, because he had a few things to say.

With a roar, Wildmutt charged and grabbed Shinso by the arm; he heaved the boy around and hurled him out of the ring.

"Shinso has been knocked out of bounds!" Midnight pointed at Midoriya, who had turned back to normal. "Midoriya wins!"

"_And there you have it, folks!" _Present Mic cried out. _"Our first semifinalist is Midoriya Izuku! Show him some love!"_

The crowd erupted into cheers, but Midoriya didn't pay it any attention. Instead, he walked over to Shinso. "Now that we're not fighting, can I say something?"

Shinso scoffed and looked away. "Sure. I can't really stop you, right?"

"Get over yourself," Midoriya said. His words were simple, but the iron in his voice made Shinso freeze. "You think I'm lucky? Yeah, I have a lot of power, but I spent most of my life thinking I was Quirkless; you might think you had it rough, but at least you weren't labeled as worthless by everyone you met." He reached out and hauled Shinso to his feet. "You have an amazing Quirk, and the only reason you're not in the Hero Course is because the entrance exam was a bad matchup for you."

Shinso didn't reply right away; instead, he just stared at Midoriya with wide eyes.

Midoriya wilted under his gaze and looked away. "Th-that's what I think, anyway."

Shinso stared at him with wide eyes. "Why are you so weird?"

"Sorry, I—" as soon as the words left his mouth, Midoriya froze up, trapped by Shinso's Quirk.

"Let's walk out of the ring already," Shinso commanded, and Midoriya's body unwillingly followed. Once they were out of sight, he poked Midoriya in the shoulder hard enough to jolt him free of his Quirk. "There. You were being embarrassing, and I just saved us from all of that."

"Uh…"

"Anyway, I'm gonna head back to my class." Shinso turned and waved tiredly, not even looking at Midoriya.

"Wait!" Shinso paused and turned back. "Look, a lot of people saw you in action in your fight against Tsuyu, and I'm the Vice President of my class. Maybe I can talk to Aizawa-sensei and get him to give you another test to get into the Hero Course?"

Shinso couldn't completely hide the hope in his eyes, but then he looked away. "You think UA will let someone with a Villain's Quirk become a Hero?"

This time, Midoriya gave him a flat stare that would have made Asui proud. "Half of my transformations make me look like horrible monsters. If they let me in, I'm sure they'll give you a chance." He brightened up as an idea struck him. "And your Quirk doesn't have to be seen as villainous. You could end hostage situations in seconds, or stop rioting—all kinds of things that could end a crisis peacefully!"

Midoriya began muttering to himself at that point; to make Shinso even more confused, the boy had taken out a notebook and was furiously scribbling in it.

_Where was he even hiding that thing? _Shinso wondered.

"All right, all right," he said, "I get it. Look, if you really want to give me a recommendation… thanks, I guess."

Midoriya smiled brightly. "Of course!"

Shinso nodded. "Anyway, we should head back to our classes. I have some stuff to think about. See you around, maybe."

"Yeah," Midoriya said as Shinso left, "see you around."

"That was nice of you," Ben commented. "You didn't have to do any of that; I bet he got noticed after his first fight."

"It couldn't hurt," Midoriya said, once he was sure Shinso was too far away to hear him. "And I think he just wanted to hear someone say he didn't have a Villain's Quirk. I know _I _needed someone to say I could be a Hero."

"You're welcome," Ben said as they began walking. "By the way, you said there was something you wanted to talk about, back when you finished the obstacle course. What was it?"

Midoriya shrugged. "Just… something I wanted to run by you. You're always telling me that I can turn from one alien to another like it's no big deal."

"And?"

"Well… what if I don't have a chance to switch? What if things are going so fast that I don't have time to even think about transforming again?"

"Where are you going with this?"

"You saw how I've only used one alien for every round."

Ben paused. "Wait… did you give yourself a _handicap_!?"

Midoriya nodded. "It's like Nezu-sensei was talking about during the weekend training. Just because I _can _swap on the fly doesn't mean I should rely on it. I've been planning out which alien I should use."

"Dang, I'm impressed." Ben shook his head. "My programming makes me assume that you'll be as immature as the real Ben was, but you keep surprising me."

"Thanks."

"You're still as impulsive as he was, though," Ben said with a grin. "Fighting the big robot at the entrance exam, the USJ fight… I think he'd be proud."

Midoriya couldn't keep the grin off his face, which was mirrored by his friends when he rejoined them.

"Midori, that was so cool!" Ashido said as she stood up. "You totally owned that fight! Hey, I'm gonna let Tsuyu and Sero know what happened, be right back!"

Uraraka handed him a bottle of water. "Hey, Deku-kun, what was that dog-form called, anyway? And how do you know what you're doing without eyes?"

"Wildmutt," Midoriya supplied automatically. "And I mostly use my sense of smell and hearing, but I also kind of have an echolocation ability."

Yaoyorozu tilted her head. "And since you couldn't talk in that form, you were immune to Shinso-san's Quirk?"

Midoriya nodded. "It was the only thing I could think of, but I wasn't sure if it would work. Some of the stuff he said… I _did_ respond to him, it just wasn't in words."

"Then it's a good thing that it worked," Iida said, and then stood up. "Yaomomo, our match will be starting soon. We should head to the waiting rooms."

"Of course." Yaoyorozu stood up. "Please tell us what happens during the next match."

"We will!" Midoriya promised.

"Good luck to both of you!" Uraraka added.

…

The next match had the audience buzzing with anticipation before Present Mic started his introductions. Both Todoroki and Tokoyami had displayed incredible Quirks, and everyone was eager to see how they stacked up against each other.

"_Welcome back, folks! Let's not waste any time and bring in our competitors! Both are from Class 1-A, and both are as stoic as they come! Let's see who cracks under the pressure!_

"_First up, give a big hand for the boy with the living shadow, the avian avenger—Tokoyami Fumikage!"_

Tokoyami stood with his eyes closed and his arms crossed; if anything, he almost looked like he was meditating right before his match.

"_And his opponent! The only thing that can pierce his ice is his steely personality! He's an environmentalist's worst nightmare, climate change personified, it's Todoroki Shoto!"_

Todoroki had the slightest slouch to his posture; if not for the determined look in his eye, one might be forgiven for thinking that he wanted to just give up.

"Are both fighters ready?" Midnight asked. "Wait, Tokoyami has a passenger. Does 'both' apply here?"

Tokoyami opened his eyes. "We are ready, Midnight-sensei."

"I'm ready," Todoroki said.

Midnight shrugged. "I'll think about the semantics later. Begin!"

Like with his first fight, Todoroki attempted to end it by freezing Tokoyami in place. Rather than try to avoid it, Dark Shadow lashed out and smashed the ice before it reached his partner's feet.

"_Nice try!" _Dark Shadow taunted. _"But you'll have to do better than that!"_

Todoroki narrowed his mismatched eyes and stomped with his right side; a much larger wave of ice swept forward in an overhead blow. Tokoyami ran in a wide arc, trying to stick to Todoroki's left side; when the ice got close, Dark Shadow smashed it aside. He was about to lunge at Todoroki, when it happened—a chunk of ice reflected a beam of sunlight directly into the living Quirk. For anyone else, it would have only been a minor inconvenience if the light had gone into their eyes, but for Dark Shadow, it caused him to practically wither in midair.

Dark Shadow, now shrunk to the size of a large dog, looked up at Todoroki pitifully. _"I don't suppose we could talk this out?"_

"No." Still, Todoroki took pity on the nearly powerless Quirk and his partner, and gently coated both of them in ice.

"Tokoyami is unable to continue!" Midnight shouted, and then paused. "And neither is Dark Shadow!"

"_Thanks for the mention," _Dark Shadow whimpered.

"Todoroki wins!"

"_And with an overwhelming victory, Todoroki has become our second semifinalist! He'll be going up against Midoriya in the next round, and I know that that'll be a fight no one wants to miss!"_

The crowd erupted with applause, impressed with Todoroki's win. While he hadn't used the same insane level of power as before, he had still won handily.

"Sorry," he said quietly as he used his fire to free Tokoyami and Dark Shadow.

"There is nothing to apologize for," Tokoyami said with a bow. "You won fairly. I wish you well in your next bout."

"_What he said," _Dark Shadow said tiredly as he withdrew back into Tokoyami.

"If I may offer some advice, Todoroki-san?" Tokoyami waited until Todoroki nodded before he continued. "Whatever darkness weighs down on your spirit is clearly crushing you. I will not pretend to know what that darkness is, but you must either cast it aside, or learn to live with it. If you do neither, it will destroy you."

Todoroki just turned and walked away, heading back to his waiting room. He wanted to spend some time to himself, to get centered before his next fight—anything to get away from Tokoyami's words, because they hit closer to home than he was willing to admit.

Of course, things only got worse halfway to his destination, when he nearly ran into his father, Todoroki Enji.

Endeavor was a giant of a man, nearly of the same size and physique as All Might. His dark-blue bodysuit was lit up by fiery lines, and his face was covered in his Hellfire. He looked down at his son, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

"Shoto," he rumbled.

"Endeavor," his son replied evenly.

"You've won your first two matches. Excellent." Endeavor looked anything but pleased, however. "I understand why you didn't use your flames in your first match; that girl was nothing compared to you. But you got lucky when your opponent's weakness came into play in this match. If you had used your flames, it would have ended everything in an instant."

"Why should I use your power?" Shoto stepped around Endeavor and continued walking. "I'm doing just fine without it."

"All you're doing is holding yourself back," Endeavor said evenly, though he raised his voice to be heard. "If you want to be a Hero even greater than All Might, then you should embrace the Quirk I gave you!"

_I don't need your Quirk, _the younger Todoroki thought fiercely. _I'll win without it. I'll show you that I can be a great Hero, the _greatest_, with only Mom's power. Maybe then, she'll know that she doesn't have to hate me._

…

"Hey, Tokoyami-san!" Uraraka waved the boy over as he rejoined Class 1-A. "Sorry about your match, but you still did great!"

Tokoyami nodded and sat near her and Midoriya. "Thank you. I am pleased that I made it as far as I did; I knew that I would have more trouble the further I got into the Sports Festival."

Midoriya frowned at that, but then glanced up at the midmorning sun. "Oh! Because Dark Shadow gets weaker when there's more light out!"

"Exactly, and there were no shadows for me to empower Dark Shadow with."

"Is he gonna be okay?" Uraraka asked.

Tokoyami smirked. "Do not worry. He only needs a short rest."

"_Thanks for the concern," _Dark Shadow said, only poking his face out of Tokoyami's chest.

"Midoriya-san, do you have a plan for when you face Todoroki-san in the next match?" With his avian features, it was almost impossible to get a read on what Tokoyami was thinking, but Midoriya thought he looked genuinely interested in what he had to say.

He didn't notice it, but most of his class was interested in his answer as well; everyone knew that that fight would probably the highlight of the first-year event.

"W-well, I have a few ideas," Midoriya said. "I'm pretty sure I know what Todoroki-san expects me to use, but I can work around that."

_Besides, _he thought, _I want to get through to him. I can't do that if I pick an alien he has no chance of beating. I need to think like Shinso-san; I need to get him talking._

The more he thought about it, the fewer options he had. Some of his aliens were just bad matchups for Todoroki; they would either lose, or would win too fast for Midoriya to get his point across.

"Good luck, Midoriya-san," Tokoyami said. "You are going to need it."

…

Yaoyorozu calmly stretched as she waited for her next round. Iida was going to be a tricky opponent, but she had been giving it plenty of thought. Ideally, she would have created traps to slow him down so that she could beat him, but with the gladiator-style of this event, she had no such opportunity.

What she did have was arguably her greatest asset—her mind. While she didn't have quite the tactical acumen that Midoriya possessed, she could still make a workable plan, and with the time she'd been given, she had just that. All she had to do was avoid getting defeated by Iida's opening blitz attack, which she was almost certain he'd use.

As much as she hated fighting her friends, she was also glad; she had come to know not only how their Quirks operated, but also how they thought. That gave her plenty of time to come up with the best plans to defeat them in this tournament. Ashido had been too confident in the corrosive power of her acid, and tended to leave herself open with her acrobatics. Iida was too straightforward to do anything but charge, and he was too honest to try anything underhanded.

And so, she had her plan. It was almost too simple, but Yaoyorozu's Quirk had taught her a valuable lesson on life—the fewer moving parts, the less that can go wrong.

When the light signaled for her to enter the arena, she did so with all the confidence she could muster. The crowd cheered, but she noticed that there were fewer catcalls this time; maybe she had proven herself more than a pretty face in the last round.

"_Entering from stage left is the Class President of Class 1-A! She not only has the smarts to figure out how to beat you, she can create anything she needs to make it happen! Give it up for Yaoyorozu Momo!"_

Yaoyorozu saw her classmates waving at her, and she smiled—even Mineta was being respectful, though whether or not it had anything to do with Sato keeping a firm grip on the back of his neck was up for debate.

"_And her opponent is the knight who doesn't need a horse to charge into battle! Blink and you'll miss him, it's Iida Tenya!"_

"I wish that we had fought later on in the Sports Festival, Yaomomo," Iida said as he bowed. "However, I have no intention of losing here!"

Yaoyorozu nodded. "I feel the same way, Iida. Still, no matter if you win or lose, I promise to give you a more dignified match than your last."

Midnight hid her smile behind one hand at the reminder. "Are both fighters ready?"

"Yes," both students said, and then smiled at each other.

"Very well… begin!"

Iida immediately leaned forward, and his engines roared. "Recipro Burst!"

_Just what I was hoping for! _

Yaoyorozu had calculated Iida's speed during the Cavalry Battle, factoring in the estimated weight of the rest of the team, and had a good idea of what he could do when not pushing three other people. With that in mind, she had exactly one-point-eight seconds to carry out her plan.

Her stomach glowed as she created a sturdy piece of sheet metal, and then she fell onto her back. She held up the metal at an angle with her hands and knees; moving at such high speeds, Iida didn't have the space necessary to avoid the makeshift ramp, and was catapulted through the air.

_I have less than two seconds before he hits the ground._

A bolas was created from her arm as she scrambled to her feet. She hurled it at Iida's legs; she had hoped to catch both his ankles, but ended up only snaring one foot. Still, the sudden change in weight caused him to land awkwardly, and he spent precious moments trying to free himself.

_Three seconds before he gets free._

Yaoyorozu concentrated hard and created a length of thick chain from her stomach. With a yell of effort, she swung it horizontally to wrap around Iida's torso, even as she kept creating the object. With of grunt of effort that came with making something with so much mass, she dropped the naval anchor to the ground. Iida was strong, but there was no way he could drag something that heavy.

"You've miscalculated, Yaomomo," Iida said, even though it took him some effort to stand tall. "My legs are still free, and I have one last trick to play!" Jets of blue flame burst from his engines. "Recipro… EXTEND!"

Yaoyorozu couldn't believe it as Iida not only began to drag the anchor, he was moving almost as fast as he would with an unencumbered Recipro Burst. She had thought that he would be tangled up enough to get in close and finish him off, but now—

_He's still moving in a straight line! I have a chance!_

She fell onto her back once again, tucked in her legs, and aimed her feet at her rapidly-approaching friend. Her pants became shorts as two enormous springs burst forth around her legs. Unbalanced and unable to slow down in time, Iida crashed headlong into her improvised defense. The springs tightened, and then pushed back; Iida was sent flying backwards…

And there was a loud _clang_ as his head connected with the anchor behind him.

Yaoyorozu panted heavily as she kicked away the springs and forced herself up. Creating all that metal had almost completely exhausted her lipids, and her last move had definitely torn a few muscles in her legs. She staggered over to Iida, who was barely conscious; she fell to one knee and drew back her fist, which was soon enhanced by a set of brass knuckles.

"At this point, there's no way you can free yourself or fight back before my fist hits your temple," she said tiredly. "Surrender, or be knocked out."

For a moment, it looked like Iida would continue to struggle; then, he closed his eyes. "I surrender."

…

Midoriya and Uraraka were in the odd position of feeling good and bad at the same time. They were happy that Yaoyorozu would be moving on, but they felt bad for Iida, who wasn't.

"Iida has surrendered!" Midnight declared. "The winner is Yaoyorozu!"

For her part, Yaoyorozu could only wave tiredly at the crowd that was going ballistic at her victory. She then allowed the medical robots to carry her to Recovery Girl, along with Iida.

"Poor Iida," Uraraka said. "He was so close!"

Midoriya nodded. "Yaomomo had a really good strategy, but if Iida had connected with that last charge, he probably would have won."

Ashido grimaced. "I'll go see if they're both okay, and then I'll be right back. You stay here, Midori!" She waved her finger at him when he stood up. "You need to focus on your next match. Uraraka, if he tries to be all noble, make him weightless so that he can't go anywhere."

"You got it!" Uraraka's smile was teasing, but she still held four fingers against Midoriya's back.

Midoriya wanted to protest, but then Ben was standing in front of him. "Dude, relax; they'll all be fine. I'm pretty sure Recovery Girl knows what she's doing."

"Fine," Midoriya sighed, "I'll stay put."

"Good!" Ashido dashed off. "I'll be back soon!"

…

For all that he had encouraged his friends who had not done as well as him, Iida still felt bad for not doing better. He felt like he had let his family down—he felt like he had let Tensei down.

"Hold still, dearie," Recovery Girl said, and planted a kiss on his forehead. In seconds, the bruises and headache were gone, but he was tired.

On the other side of the infirmary, Yaoyorozu was massaging her sore legs, but she looked at him apprehensively.

"Tenya… there are no hard feelings, right?"

Iida immediately sat upright and chopped the air as he spoke. "Of course not, Yaomomo! Regardless of how our battle ended, I still consider you a good friend who will go on to be an amazing Hero!"

Yaoyorozu blushed a little, but then jumped when Iida started vibrating wildly. "What the—?"

"Ah, forgive me." Iida pulled out his phone, which he had snagged on his way to the infirmary. "I am getting a call. Please excuse me."

While Iida left to speak in private, Asui and Sero smiled at their friend. She frowned at them. "What?"

"Nice blush there, Yaomomo," Sero teased. "Should've figured Iida was your kinda guy."

Yaoyorozu's expression was stern, but it was ruined by her reddening cheeks. "For your information, I do not see him in that way."

"Just be glad we're not Mina, ribbit," Asui said; she somehow managed to sound gleeful without changing her usual tone. "Don't worry, we won't tell her if you don't want us to, but we'll remember this."

Yaoyorozu sighed, just as Ashido burst into the infirmary to check on everyone. She supposed that, if this was the price for moving on to the next round, she would have to pay it.

…

"Hello, Mother," Tenya said, once he found an empty waiting room. "I assume you saw what happened in the Sports Festival? I'm sorry that I couldn't make it to at least the semifinals, but—"

"_Tenya, please listen to me," _the Iida matriarch said, with enough panic behind her voice to immediately alarm her youngest son. _"I'm sorry that you lost, but right now, you need to know something."_

"Mother? What's happened?"

"_It's your brother." _Tenya's mother paused, and he realized that she was _crying_. _"He was in Hosu City, and he was attacked by a Villain. He's in the hospital right now."_

For Tenya, it was as if the world had stopped spinning, and he lost all feeling in his body. Tensei, his beloved older brother, Ingenium, had been hurt by a Villain? His mind literally couldn't comprehend it for several long moments. His response, when it came, was almost frighteningly emotionless.

"Mother, where is Tensei now?"

"_I'm… I'm sending your father to pick you up right now. He's close to the stadium, and he'll take you to the hospital."_

"Do you know Tensei's current condition?"

"_He was taken to the ICU, that's all I know. I'm sorry this is happening to you, but—"_

"There is no need to apologize, Mother." Iida glanced up and saw Yaoyorozu walk by, but with the door closed, she hadn't heard anything. "I will be waiting for Father; I just wish to let one of my friends know that I will not be there."

"_Of course. See you soon, Tenya. I love you."_

"I love you too, Mother." Iida hung up and walked back to the infirmary; there was one friend he had that both could handle what he had to say maturely, and wouldn't be distracted from the Sports Festival by his news. "Excuse me, Tsuyu, may I speak to you alone?"

Asui and Sero shared a look, but the latter shrugged. "Go ahead; Recovery Girl should be giving me the all-clear to head back to the stands in a few minutes."

Asui nodded and followed Iida outside the infirmary. "What's going on, ribbit?"

"Tsuyu, I am about to tell you something in confidence," Iida said, more robotically than usual. "Please do not tell anyone else; I will do so when I have more information." He waited until Asui nodded. "I will be leaving immediately. My brother was attacked by a Villain, and has been taken to the hospital. I am sorry to miss—"

Before he could finish, Asui grabbed him in a brief, but tight hug, and then stepped back and pointed to the exit. "Go. Just go, now. I'll handle it from here."

Dimly, Iida remembered that Asui had siblings of her own; if anyone could understand, it was her. He nodded, and then ran for the exit. He had to see his brother.

_Tensei, please be all right!_

…

Kirishima was pumped for his fight, though that was no surprise; you didn't have to know him for longer than a few minutes to know that he was pumped up for most things. As long as he got a chance to show how manly he was, he was content. Even failing didn't faze him for long; after all, it was a chance for him to grow and become even manlier.

There was only one thing that dampened his excitement for his upcoming fight—his opponent. He knew he could win, that wasn't what bothered him; no, what bothered him was how vicious Bakugo had been in his first fight. Sero hadn't deserved the kind of punishment Bakugo had tossed out, and it was just one more blow to the already wobbly tower of support Kirishima was trying to hold up.

Bakugo had some of the best qualities going for him—he was smart, talented, had an amazing Quirk, and an aura of confidence that many people could easily latch onto. Kirishima could admit that he was one of those people.

However, his major drawback was that he was a jerk. Not the angsty kind of jerk, the kind that had deep thoughts on his mind and didn't like being disturbed—Todoroki and Tokoyami came to mind there—but the kind that intentionally used his words to hurt people. Kirishima was never bothered by that kind of thing, but other people's skin wasn't as thick as his, both literally and figuratively.

He wasn't stupid; he hadn't missed the way Midoriya never made eye-contact with Bakugo, or how he did his best to stay on the opposite side of whatever room they might share. Midoriya had even said that he and Bakugo had some bad history between them on the second day of class. And everyone saw how Midoriya's circle of friends put themselves between him and Bakugo whenever they could.

Bakugo had bullied Midoriya. Kirishima couldn't say how bad it was, but it was enough that Midoriya—as powerful as he was now—was _afraid_ of Bakugo.

That was why Kirishima needed to fight Bakugo here, to make him fight as hard as possible. In Kirishima's mind, if Bakugo took out more of his aggression on someone who wasn't bothered by hurtful words, he'd have nothing in his arsenal for Midoriya. Then, maybe, Bakugo would think about his actions.

_My Quirk is not just armor for myself, but a shield for others. I want to be a Hero who keeps people safe, and I can't do that if I break. Even if I fall, I will not break._

His resolve strengthened, Kirishima walked into the arena.

"_All right, folks, now we have a battle of the unstoppable force against the immovable object! In one corner, it's the immovable object, the boy with the heart of gold, skin of stone, and manly spirit, it's Kirishima Eijiro!"_

The crowd went wild, and Kirishima waved, especially when he saw his classmates cheering. He managed not to look embarrassed when Ashido started playfully blowing kisses his way.

"_And his opponent, the unstoppable force! He's got a temper to match that Quirk of his, so Kirishima better watch out! He's the rampaging rocketeer, diabolical destroyer—it's Bakugo Katsuki!"_

Bakugo's applause was more restrained than Kirishima's, but he didn't seem to care that much. He had a laser-focus on Kirishima, as if he expected the fight to start before Midnight said anything.

"Okay, boys, I want a clean fight," Midnight said. "Try not to kill each other, all right?"

Kirishima grinned with his shark-like teeth. "Yes, ma'am!"

"Sure, whatever."

Midnight raised an eyebrow at Bakugo's reply, but nodded all the same. She raised her whip, and then brought it down. "Begin!"

Kirishima didn't usually use his full-body Hardening; it took too much effort, and didn't last very long. Instead, he tried to figure out where his opponent would strike, and harden that particular body part; that usually left his enemy open for a Hardened punch, kick, or even headbutt. Unfortunately, Bakugo's Quirk didn't play like that, and if Kirishima didn't want to lose in the first three seconds, he had to go all-out from the beginning. His body stiffened and creaked, until even his eyes were as hard as stone.

"Come on, Bakugo!" Kirishima roared. "Let's do this!"

Bakugo grinned wildly. "Whatever you say, idiot!"

The first explosions didn't even slow Kirishima down, not that he expected them to. His Hardening was strongest at the beginning, and while he wasn't a Quirk-enthusiast like Midoriya, he knew that Bakugo's Quirk got _more _powerful as fights went on, not less. With that in mind, Kirishima charged through the blasts to get in Bakugo's face; only a last-second explosion that sent Bakugo flying upwards saved him from getting a Hardened haymaker to the face. Instead, Kirishima caught his ankle, and the blow sent him careening off-course.

"Shit!" Bakugo rolled to his feet. "Not bad, Kirishima! I kind of expected you to just stand there and take it."

Kirishima grinned as his blood sang. "What kind of man would I be if I didn't dish it right back? Besides, I knew you could take it." He ran forward and threw a jab that Bakugo dodged. "And I figured you'd want to fight someone who can fight back!"

Now, Bakugo's smile vanished as he peppered Kirishima with smaller explosions. "What the hell are you going on about?"

"Oh, come on!" Kirishima managed to catch Bakugo in the chest with a shoulder-check. "You've sent at least twenty people to Recovery Girl today, and one of them was Sero! You didn't have to go that far!"

"It's not my fault a bunch of weaklings managed to make it past the first event," Bakugo growled, and then hit Kirishima with a much bigger explosion, one that sent him tumbling end over end.

Kirishima struggled to his feet and spat out a trickle of blood. "It's not manly to beat on those who are weaker than you, and it's even worse to disrespect them."

"I respect people who are strong," Bakugo snarled. "Why do you think I tolerate _you_?"

Kirishima was too focused on the fight to register that Bakugo had given him a compliment, backhanded as it was. "That doesn't excuse what you did to Sero."

"He needed to learn his place," Bakugo said, and then rocketed forward to deliver a series of point-blank explosions. "He's got a useful Quirk, but he has no business fighting me. Deku really surrounded himself with friends almost as worthless as him."

Kirishima powered through the pain and smashed his forehead against Bakugo's nose; he tried not to feel just the tiniest bit satisfied at the crunch of broken cartilage. "How can you say that about Midoriya? He stopped the Nomu guy, and he won the first two events!" It wasn't exactly manly to say the next part, but Bakugo's ego really needed checking. "And he beat _you _in the Battle Trial."

From the way Bakugo's eye twitched, he hated the reminder, and he took it out on his opponent. With a feral roar, Bakugo hurled a series of rapid-fire explosions that quickly wore down Kirishima's Hardening. In seconds, his Quirk reached its limit, and he was left on one knee, panting and scorched.

"It doesn't matter if Deku beat me before," Bakugo said, voice muffled from his broken nose. "He won't beat me again. _Nobody _will."

Instead of finishing things off with an explosion, Bakugo just drew his fist back and cold-cocked Kirishima across the jaw. The redhead collapsed in a heap.

"Kirishima is unconscious!" Midnight pointed at Bakugo. "We have a winner!"

The crowd erupted into applause; this fight had been much fairer, and to the audience, Bakugo had been almost merciful in how he had ended things.

Bakugo crossed his arms and jerked his chin at his fallen opponent. "He's alive, right?"

Midnight almost rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he'll be fine. Recovery Girl will have him good as new in no time. You should see her about that nose, though."

"Yeah, okay."

Kirishima was unconscious, so he never saw the look on Bakugo's face. It wasn't his usual scowl, or a smile of superiority, but something else. Not even Bakugo could put words to what he was feeling, but he shoved them to the side for now. He could think about things after he beat Midoriya and asserted his position as the best in class.

…

"That was…" Uraraka trailed off.

"Yeah," Midoriya said uncertainly. "Bakugo is like that."

"I was hoping Kirishima would win," Ashido whined. "Darn. That just means that Yaomomo has to fight him." She turned to the girl in question. "Can you take him?"

Yaoyorozu, now wearing a fresh uniform, was slowly eating a high-calorie protein bar. "Maybe," she admitted. "There isn't much I can create before he gets in close, and he's very unpredictable in a fight. I'll have one shot, and if it fails, I'll lose."

"Just cover your face," Sero advised, and tapped a finger against his bandaged scar.

"Yeah, we can't have the prettiest girl in class lose her title," Ashido said with a grin.

"Um, Yaomomo?" Yaoyorozu turned to Midoriya, who looked worried. "If you w-want to go over s-some tactics b-before your match with Bakugo, I m-might be able to help."

Yaoyorozu smiled fondly at him. "I appreciate the offer, but I think you'll have to focus on your own match. It's up next, if I'm not mistaken."

"Oh. Right." Midoriya swallowed nervously, and then held out his notebook. "Pages thirteen through seventeen have everything I noticed about new strengths Bakugo has shown today, and how to counter them. Pages six through eight have everything I learned about your abilities today. If that can help…"

Yaoyorozu took the notebook, and Ashido ruffled Midoriya's hair. "That is so sweet, Midori! I'm sure that'll help, but you'd better get down to the waiting room; Cementoss is already fixing the arena, and Todoroki is gone."

Midoriya realized that, indeed, Todoroki had already left; officially, there was still another thirty minutes before the semifinals started, but the competitors were encouraged to spend that time centering themselves. "W-well, wish me luck?"

"Good luck, Deku-kun!" Uraraka raised one fist into the air. "I know you can do it!"

All of his friends, minus Iida—who Asui had said had been called away for a personal matter—echoed her words. He gave his usual, wobbly smile, and left. As soon as he was gone, Ashido whirled around to look Uraraka in the eye, her expression completely serious.

"He _is _gonna be okay, right? He's been getting more and more nervous, and Todoroki has been scaring the crap out of me all day."

Uraraka looked uncertain. "I don't know; Deku-kun seems to know what he's doing, but Todoroki-san is just so strong, and he's only using half of his power…"

"Come on, guys, it's Midoriya we're talking about," Sero said. "He'll be fine. Heck, even if he gets hurt, he can just turn into his Swampfire form, and he'll be good as new."

"I hope you're right, ribbit." Asui leaned back in her chair. "I guess all we can do is wait and see."

…

Tenya's father was as measured and responsible as anyone in the Iida family, especially since he was a retired Hero. However, he drove to the hospital at a speed that could almost be considered reckless. Had Tenya not been so focused on his brother, he might have lost a few years of his life from terror.

As it was, neither Iida spoke; the elder was concerned with getting to the hospital as quickly as possible without dying, while the younger had almost shut down.

Amazingly, the drive took almost twenty minutes less than it should have, even with almost no traffic—most of Japan was glued to whatever screen could show the Sports Festival. Still, the car hadn't even finished screeching to a halt before Tenya and his father opened the doors and ran out.

Tenya wasn't sure what his father said or did to get them through the waiting room—in fact, he didn't recall waiting at all, and might have just charged straight through. They would have torn the entire hospital apart in their effort to find Tensei, but luckily, Tenya's mother found them before they rampaged too far, and she guided them to a room guarded by a pair of police officers. By then, Tenya had calmed down enough to ask his mother questions.

"What happened, Mother?"

"It was the Hero Killer." The words sent a chill up Tenya's spine; the Hero Killer, Stain, had been a blight on Hero society for months. He had killed dozens of Heroes, and crippled many more. The idea of either fate befalling his brother was too much for Tenya to consider. "Tensei and a group of his Sidekicks were following a lead in Hosu City, but they were ambushed."

"And…" Tenya swallowed the lump that prevented him from speaking. "And how are they? How is _Tensei_, Mother?"

His mother's smile finally broke through the tunnel vision afflicting Tenya. "Ask him yourself."

The police let them in, and Tenya felt hot tears fall down his face as he saw his brother. Unlike Tenya, Tensei didn't wear glasses, and though he was older, he had a youthful exuberance that seemed out of place when near his stiff-necked younger brother. His bandages were obvious, even under his hospital gown, but he was awake; he looked exhausted, but when his family arrived, he smiled.

"Hey, little brother," Tensei said.

Tensei staggered closer. "Tensei, are you—"

To the protest of an attending nurse, Tensei swung his legs over the edge of the bed and reached over to pull his brother into a hug.

"I'm going to be okay," he said, his voice quiet, but full of strength.

Tenya finally let the dam break, and he sobbed while his family surrounded him in an embrace.

Forget the Sports Festival; Tenya would have been fine with never even competing if it meant knowing that Tensei would be all right.

…

"This is your last chance to take the training wheels off," Ben said as Midoriya walked to the arena entrance.

Midoriya was about to reply, but as he turned the corner, he nearly ran headfirst into—

"O-oh! Endeavor!"

The number two Hero crossed his arms and looked down at Midoriya; the way the man narrowed his eyes made Midoriya think he was being studied, and Endeavor wasn't impressed.

"So, you're the boy who's been impressing everyone at UA," Endeavor rumbled. "Rumors were spreading about you even before the Sports Festival began."

Midoriya blinked. "I h-have? There are?"

Endeavor raised an eyebrow, barely seen behind his flames. "You're either humble, or ignorant. Try to accept praise, boy, or your humility will make you look weak—and always be aware of what people say about you, or the rumor mill will destroy you as completely as any Villain."

Midoriya nodded; though Todoroki's earlier conversation about Endeavor had him wary of the Hero, he couldn't deny that the man was giving him good advice.

"I know that your match against Shoto is about to start," Endeavor continued, "but I wanted to make a request of you. I'm sure you're aware that my son is not using his Quirk to its fullest potential. As a Hero, that is unacceptable; Heroes must give their all to their work, or risk failure and death, either their own, or those of civilians."

Again, Midoriya nodded; everything Endeavor was saying made sense.

"My request is that you force Shoto into using his fire." Endeavor narrowed his eyes. "He needs to be backed into a corner, to see that the only way for him to be the very best is to use what I have given him." He smirked. "Of course, this will undoubtedly challenge you greatly; do not take offense when I say that I want Shoto to win. Not just against you, but the entire Sports Festival. He _will _take his rightful place as the top Hero in Japan."

Without another word, Endeavor stepped around Midoriya and walked away, but he only made it a few feet before Midoriya spoke.

"I already know that your son has to use all of his Quirk," he said, and Endeavor stopped. "I _want _to help him with that. But everything after that is _his _choice—not mine, not yours."

Endeavor glanced back over his shoulder; had he been anyone else, he would have sneered. "We shall see."

As soon as the man left, Midoriya sank to his knees, and Ben knelt in front of him. "Dude, you okay?"

"Th-that was t-terrifying," Midoriya stammered. "W-why does n-no one talk about how s-scary he is?"

Ben smiled dryly. "He's strong, and that makes him popular. Remind you of anyone?"

A certain blonde classmate came to mind, but Midoriya didn't say anything; instead, he took several deep breaths, just as Ben had taught him.

"Good," Ben said, "just keep breathing. Are you good to go?"

Midoriya nodded; it was shaky, but he managed. "Yeah. I can do this. I _need _to do this."

Ben smiled, and then vanished. Midoriya got to his feet, and stepped into the arena.

"_Let's get ready for the first semifinal match!" _Present Mic shouted. _"Both our fighters have proven to be front-runners throughout the entire Sports Festival, but now, we'll find out who's truly top dog between them!_

"_First up is the walking mystery himself, the shapeshifting surprise—give it up for Midoriya Izuku!"_

The stadium rocked with cheers, but as before, Midoriya looked at his classmates in the stands; Uraraka and Asui waved at him with both hands—and the latter included her tongue—while Yaoyorozu, Ashido and Sero all grinned as they cheered. The rest of the class that was present was also enthusiastically supporting him. That was enough to bolster Midoriya's wavering spirit.

"_And his opponent—a kid as ferocious as he is composed, he's the world's scariest thermostat! Let's hear a big round of applause for Todoroki Shoto!"_

It was hard to tell if Todoroki received more cheers than Midoriya, but it was definitely close. Todoroki's gaze bored into Midoriya with a disturbing level of intensity.

"This is it, Midoriya," Todoroki said, barely heard over the crowd. "Today, I show everyone that I'm beyond Endeavor."

Midoriya just held up the Ultimatrix, hand hovering over the dial. "First, you have to beat me, Todoroki-san."

"Are both fighters ready?" Midnight asked, and got two nods; neither boy broke eye-contact. "All right… begin!"

Ice exploded forward, and there was a flash of green light.

**Hooray, another round done, and I ended on another cliffhanger. I just don't have it in me to add the entire Midoriya/Todoroki fight to this chapter.**

**Also, yes, Tensei is going to be okay; you'll find out why in a later chapter. That does mean that Tenya won't be taking the name of Ingenium, but I have a different name for him in mind. Also, there are a few other members of Class 1-A whose canon names I'm not a huge fan of, and will be giving new aliases.**

**As always, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. It's another opportunity to read something else while you're waiting out the insanity. You can find it on Amazon, both as an eBook and physical copy. You can also buy it as a PDF on my website (link in my profile). I really think you'll enjoy it, and the sequel is going to be ready very soon!**

**You can also support me through P-atreon (link in my profile). If I'm not updating as frequently, it's because I'm looking for that most dreadful of prizes: **_**full-time employment**_**. I mean, I'm not going to find anything right now, what with the coronavirus, but I need to go job-hunting once things calm down. Yeah, it sucks, but I'm just not making enough money through book sales to support myself, and I really don't want to live on the street, because that's where I'm headed if I don't have, you know, money.**

**For my Patrons, you have my utmost thanks, and I love you:**

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**Next Chapter: Midoriya fights Todoroki, Bakugo fights Yaoyorozu, and then the final bout happens, and Tensei talks about his mysterious savior!**

**Plus Muffin!**


	13. The Champion

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. SCREW THIS, I'M GOING TO GO ON AN ADVENTURE.**

… '**kay, I'm back from my adventure. Not as hype as that guy from the fair said it would be. Back to fan fiction.**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 13

The Champion

The stadium rumbled as a massive glacier of ice formed; nearly everyone in the audience either ducked or threw up their hands to shield their faces as the ice came dangerously close. Cementoss had to raise several thick walls to protect those closest to the arena itself.

"_Wow, would you look at that!" _Present Mic tried to sound nonchalant, but it was impossible to completely hide the awe in his voice. _"Todoroki showed us all once again why he's such a force to be reckoned with. Did he beat Midoriya in a single, overwhelming blow?"_

Todoroki panted lightly, his right side coated in a thin layer of frost. It had been a risk to unleash that much power, but it was worth it to prove that nobody, not even Midoriya, could stop him. He was about to turn to Midnight and ask her to call the match, but then the stadium rumbled again. This time, the source came from the opposite side of the ring.

A large section of ice cracked, and then shattered, and Armodrillo stepped out from the hole he'd created.

"That was kind of cold," Armodrillo said, and if his mouth had been visible, Todoroki would have seen a wild grin.

…

"Whoa," Uraraka whispered, her breath coming out in a thick mist from the cold. "I knew Deku-kun was strong, but—"

"Forget 'strong'," Sero interrupted, "he just _walked through _Todoroki's strongest move!"

All Asui could manage was a weak 'ribbit'; the sudden cold had weakened her considerably, and Ashido hugged her in an effort to keep her warm. Despite the spikes of ice mere feet from her, the pink girl was grinning madly.

"Go get him, Midori!"

…

"_I don't believe it, folks!" _Present Mic was even more enthusiastic than the cheering crowd. _"Midoriya's latest form just punched through that ice like it was nothing! Does this kid ever stop!?"_

"_Actually," _Aizawa said, and in the commentator's booth, Present Mic stared as his friend actually sounded excited, _"I think this fight is just getting started."_

"He's right, you know," Armodrillo said, and cracked his knuckles. "I'm not even warmed up yet."

Todoroki glared at him. "So you can handle a widespread attack. What about when it's focused right at you?"

He placed his hand on the ground, and a massive spike of ice shot straight at Armodrillo's chest. The alien mirrored Todoroki's movements, and his jackhammer arm created a powerful tremor; as soon as the shockwaves reached Todoroki, they not only sent him sprawling, but they shattered the ice into pieces. What chunks did hit Armodrillo just bounced off of his armor.

"Looks like it's _you _who doesn't deal well with focused attacks," he said, and took a few steps forward. "One directed earthquake, and your ice falls apart."

"Shut up!" Ice crept around Armodrillo, and more spikes lanced towards him. "I'm not going to lose here!"

"Neither am I!" Another tremor shattered the base of the spikes, robbing them of momentum. "Besides, I already know how this will end; anyone with eyes could see it." He pointed at his opponent. "You can't handle using that much ice, can you?"

Todoroki glanced down at his right side; the frost was already thicker, and it was getting hard to move.

"Too bad you can't use your fire; then, you'd be able to balance out your ice and not get frostbite," Armodrillo taunted. "Oh, wait, it's not about whether or not you can, you just _refuse_ to."

"I don't need that bastard's power!" Todoroki tried to freeze the ground, only for it to be shattered by another tremor. "Damn it!"

"Face it, Todoroki," Armodrillo growled, "your ice can't reach me. Of course, I don't really have a defense against _fire_."

Todoroki stared at him. "What is this? What are you trying to do?"

"I'm trying to get you to open your eyes, before you kill yourself because of your own pride!" Armodrillo clenched his fists. "You look like you've got frostbite, and this fight's just getting started!"

"I don't need you to look out for me," Todoroki snarled, and sent another wave of ice that Armodrillo shattered.

"And _I _don't have the same kind of limit as you," Armodrillo said. "All I have to do is keep this up until you freeze yourself. I thought you wanted to _beat _me, to show the world you didn't need Endeavor?"

"I _don't _need that bastard's Quirk!"

Armodrillo laughed, but it was a harsh sound. "All you're doing is letting him win."

Todoroki froze, and it had nothing to do with his Quirk. "What are you talking about?"

Inwardly, Armodrillo cheered. _Finally! He's listening!_

"If you use just your ice to become the greatest Hero, you've still let him influence you. You're devoting your whole life to sticking it to Endeavor—which means everything you do is still revolving around him! You don't need to let him rule your life, just be the Hero _you _want to be!"

Todoroki shook his head, but it was clear that his resolve was wavering. "I won't use his—"

"It's _not his Quirk_!" Armodrillo shouted. "It's _yours_! _You _choose how to use it, no one else!"

It was as if time stood still; that simple declaration made Todoroki freeze, even as his mind was rocked to its core.

_Is it… is it really so simple? So obvious? _Todoroki looked down at his hands—trembling from cold or emotion, he couldn't tell.

"Well, Todoroki?" Armodrillo stomped forward. "What's it gonna be?"

There was a pause; the crowd was roaring, but for the two boys, there was only silence, and the distance between them. Then, with a primal howl, flames erupted from Todoroki's left side, rising nearly as high as the glacier he'd created before settling back down. The ice on his right melted away, and life surged through him once again. The power he'd denied for years gave Todoroki such a rush that he couldn't help the mad grin that crossed his face.

"I'm going to be a Hero," he said, just loud enough for Armodrillo to hear. "One that chooses his own destiny."

"Good to hear," Armodrillo said, and then crouched low. "I want to be a Hero like that, too."

_Thank you, Midoriya, _Todoroki thought as he aimed his left hand at someone he suddenly wanted to call friend. "Just remember, you wanted this, so don't complain."

An enormous column of fire ripped through the ring, almost instantly melting and then evaporating the ice still scattered about. Cementoss had to shield the audience from the waves of flame; once again, people ducked down to avoid getting hurt.

When the fires died down, Todoroki—now with his shirt burned off and panting heavily—looked around. The ring was blackened by his fire, but he didn't see Midoriya. The only thing out of place was the hole in the ground—

_Wait. _Todoroki had less than a second to stare down at his feet, before a yellow arm punched up through the ground. The fist on the end of that arm connected solidly with his jaw and sent him flying up. The rest of Armodrillo popped up out of the ground; Todoroki started to fall, and Armodrillo drew back his other fist. The punch that landed on his chest was so strong that Todoroki felt his ribs crack, and all the air fled his lungs.

The world spun, there was a painful impact, and then everything went dark.

…

Uraraka was practically screaming in her seat, as were Ashido and Sero; in fact, most of Class 1-A was losing its collective mind.

"_It's over!" _Even with his Quirk and the arena's sound system boosting his voice, Present Mic could only barely be heard over the roaring crowd. _"Even after that insane level of power displayed by Todoroki, Midoriya Izuku has pulled off the win, both by knockout and ring-out! Ladies and gentlemen, we have our first finalist!"_

"He won!" Uraraka linked arms with Ashido and did a little dance. "He won! He did it!"

Yaoyorozu stared at Midoriya, now back to normal and checking on Todoroki. _I couldn't hear what they were talking about, but it was clear that Izuku was goading him. Was he _trying _to make Todoroki-san use his fire? If so, then he was waiting to go underground as soon as he got through to him. He was trying to help Todoroki-san, but he also wanted to win… _She smiled. _You really are amazing, Izuku._

…

The older of the two observers laughed. "You heard that little speech of his, right?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "He decided that the best place for a therapy session was in the middle of a gladiator fight? The kid is nuts."

"It worked, and he still won," the man pointed out. "You can't complain."

"Sure I can," the girl snapped. "He shouldn't have that watch. It was never meant for him."

"I'm pretty sure Azmuth said the same thing a few times, and look how that turned out." The man put a hand on her shoulder. "He's doing well. I don't see any reason to take the Ultimatrix from him."

"Not yet," the girl muttered.

…

"Tensei, what happened to you?" Tenya had finally regained his composure, and was sitting next to his brother's bed, along with his parents. "I know that the Hero Killer is dangerous, but I thought—"

"I'm not invincible, Tenya." Tensei's words were gentle, but the chastisement was there; Tenya realized then that he'd been subconsciously been putting his brother on a pedestal. "My Sidekicks and I did our best, but Stain ambushed us in an alley. You've seen the news, so you know he hit us with knives and a sword."

Tenya noticed that Tensei winced and rubbed his back, but didn't comment. He didn't want the image of a madman like Stain stabbing his brother with a sword.

"That wasn't the worst part of it, though," Tensei continued. "He didn't actually hit any of us too badly; in fact, most of us should have been able to keep fighting."

At this point, the Iida patriarch interrupted. "Should? What changed?"

Tensei grimaced. "After I got a cut on my shoulder, the Hero Killer licked the blood on his blade. As soon as he did, I couldn't move."

Tenya's eyes widened; for months, experts on the news had speculated that the Hero Killer had some sort of paralysis Quirk, but anyone who had ever actually seen the entire process was probably dead, as Stain's surviving victims had never been able to give much detail.

"So his Quirk involves ingesting blood?" Tenya leaned forward—a small part of him, likely the part that had spent too much time with Midoriya, wished he had a notebook to write this all down. "You saw it happen?"

"Actually, I didn't." Tensei closed his eyes as he gathered his thoughts. "I was _told _what happened, and not by any of my Sidekicks. See, after I got hit by his Quirk, Stain… stabbed me in the back. I couldn't move before, but after that, I couldn't… I couldn't feel my legs."

Tenya's blood turned to ice. "But… but, you can move your legs now!"

Tensei nodded. "I'm getting to that. As soon as Stain left, someone else arrived on the scene. I couldn't identify him, and he made sure not to step into anyone's line of sight. He put his hand on my back, and I saw a green light; when it was gone, my injuries… well, they weren't completely healed, but I was certainly better off, and I could feel my legs again. He did the same thing to my Sidekicks. While he worked, he told me that he'd seen what the Hero Killer had done. I reported all of this to the police, but since what this guy said couldn't be corroborated, we have to take it with a grain of salt."

"He had to have been a Vigilante," Tenya said. "He has a healing Quirk, but didn't stay to provide a statement. Wait, did he leave you in an alley all alone!?"

Tensei chuckled. "He called for an ambulance, but he used _my _phone to do it. What a jerk. Anyway, he left as soon as the sirens got close, so you're probably right that he's a Vigilante. Still, I wish he'd stuck around long enough for me to thank him."

If Tenya was being honest, he wished the same; he was reasonably sure that this Vigilante had saved his brother's career, if not his life.

As the conversation drifted to less serious matters, including the Sports Festival, Tenya made a mental note to bring up what he had learned with his friends.

_The Hero Killer has some kind of paralysis-inducing Quirk that involves the ingestion of blood, and a Vigilante with a healing Quirk. I'm sure that Midoriya will have some interesting theories, but I'll talk to him about that later. He has more immediate concerns right now._

…

As soon as Midoriya rejoined Class 1-A, he was nearly tackled off his feet by Uraraka, who grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him excitedly.

"Deku-kun, that was incredible!" she shouted in his ear. "You beat Todoroki!"

"Yeah, Midori!" Ashido waved her arms excitedly. "He was all 'fwoosh!', and you were all 'nah', and then you broke all that ice, and holy crap, you made Todoroki use his flames!"

Midoriya wasn't sure how to respond, either to Ashido's rapid-fire commentary, or to Uraraka's enthusiasm. He settled for a weak smile.

"Thanks, guys; um, Todoroki-san is going to be okay, according to Recovery Girl."

"Midoriya, what happened down there?" Yaoyorozu asked. "It was impossible to hear anything, but it looked like you two were having a shouting match for a while."

Uraraka finally let go, allowing Midoriya to take a seat. "Well, remember when Todoroki-san pulled me aside before? It has to do with that."

Sero nodded sagely, though his attempt to look wise was offset by his bandages. "Hey, if it's between you guys, then it's between you guys."

"Hey, Yaomomo?" Asui tapped the taller girl on the arm. "Shouldn't you get ready for your match, ribbit?"

Yaoyorozu glanced around and saw that Bakugo was already gone. "Yes, I suppose I should."

"Good luck," Midoriya said, as serious as anyone had ever seen him. "And be careful."

Yaoyorozu nodded and tried to look composed, but nobody missed how each movement, normally so graceful, trembled ever so slightly. Her friends wished they could say something to bolster her confidence, but they had nothing; Bakugo was easily one of the best in the class, and while Yaoyorozu was no slouch, her opponent's raw talent and combat instincts trumped her intelligence.

_Still, I'll do my best, _she told herself as she walked away. _None of my friends would do less, so how can I?_

…

In his waiting room, Bakugo killed time by doing some light stretches. It was taking a while to repair the damage done by Deku and Icy-Hot, but that was okay in Bakugo's book. It gave him time to think—not necessarily about his upcoming match, because he'd come up with the perfect strategy as soon as he'd seen Ponytail's fight with Raccoon-Eyes.

No, for all that he professed that the past didn't matter, he found himself thinking about his previous two fights.

Sticky had known he stood no chance against him in a straight fight, but he did anyway. The guy was a worthless extra, but Bakugo gave him points for courage.

Kirishima had withstood far more punishment than he should have, all because he wanted to give Bakugo a _lecture_.

By themselves, each fight would have been little more than a footnote in Bakugo's mind, but they were linked by a common factor—Deku. Sticky had gained that little boost of confidence from the damn nerd, and Kirishima had said all those things because he wanted to stand up for him.

"What makes Deku so special?" Bakugo growled; his tone wasn't aggressive, but honestly curious. "I get he's strong, so why the hell did Kirishima need to defend him?"

_You know why, _a traitorous part of him said. _It's because he's still a bundle of nerves, and _you _did that to him. You made his life a living hell for years, all because he had the spirit of a Hero, if not the Quirk. You're just upset because now he's got both._

Bakugo paused as he digested that, and then did what he usually did—he found that part of himself that cared, and then mercilessly beat it back into the recesses of his mind. Besides, he reasoned, Deku was actually worth his time as… well, not a rival, because that would imply that he was Bakugo's _equal_, but he was definitely a worthy opponent. Until he came to UA, Bakugo had never had that, but now, there were plenty of people who could at least last long enough in a fight to make him stronger.

In that regard, his only regret in this part of the Sports Festival was not being able to fight _all _of the strongest in his class—Glasses, Kirishima, Birdman, Icy-Hot, and of course, Deku. At least those five were worth beating down, and maybe UA could be good for something and help the worthless members of his class become less annoying.

All UA had to do was stop getting on his case about actually _showing _that he was strong, and maybe he'd start having fun.

The light signaling for him to enter the arena came on, and he cracked his knuckles. He still had his original plan to carry out—beat as many of Deku's friends as possible to rattle him before they fought.

He still needed to put the damn nerd in his place, after all.

"_And now, our last first-year semifinal match!" _Present Mic waited for the roaring crowd to settle down before continuing. _"Starting with ladies first—her Quirk puts any magician to shame, and she doesn't even need a hat, it's Yaoyorozu Momo!"_

Across the ring, Ponytail reached across herself; Bakugo could tell from the way her right hand rested on her left arm that she was nervous, but at least she looked him in the eye.

"_And her opponent—he's been absolutely merciless this entire Sports Festival, making it to third place in both the previous events, but can he break that barrier and get into the final match? Show your support for Bakugo Katsuki!"_

Bakugo managed to turn his sneer into something resembling a smile; as if he needed support.

"Okay, you two," Midnight said, "keep it clean out there, and do your best _not _to kill each other."

Bakugo knew that she was mostly addressing him. He also knew that he didn't really care.

"Are both fighters ready?"

"Yes, Midnight-sensei!"

"Let's do this already!"

Midnight would have given Bakugo another pointed look, but he was too focused on his opponent. "Begin!"

"Blast Rush Turbo!" Bakugo rocketed forward, determined to get in Ponytail's grill before she could make anything.

He was fast, but Ponytail could make simple objects even faster. If Bakugo hadn't flown up at the last second, he would have taken an iron pole straight to his face.

"You're gonna have to do better than that!" Bakugo turned to unleash an explosion; Ponytail tried to dive out of the way, and only partially succeeded. There was a cry of pain, and she limped out of the smoke, her leg a bit charred.

Bakugo landed and charged, but he had to duck when Ponytail threw another javelin at him. He had about half a second to register the distraction for what it was before she hurled what looked like a water balloon at his feet. Instead of water, it was a slightly opaque liquid that splattered his shoes. The smell instantly told him what she'd hit him with.

"Glue?" he asked incredulously. "You think _glue _is gonna hold me?"

"Not just any glue," Ponytail explained as she backed up. "The strongest quick-drying cement I could come up with. It started hardening as soon as it made contact with the air."

Bakugo snarled, but his shoes were already sticking to the ground. Powerful though his explosions were, they were most effective at closer range unless he really ramped it up, but without his gauntlets, he had to use such a move sparingly. He needed to get close, but Ponytail didn't look like she'd be giving him the chance, and stayed far away.

Still, he could get free in moments, but it turned out that Ponytail only _needed_ moments. Her exposed stomach glowed as she created—

_Holy shit, that's a cannon!_

It was certainly of an older design, but its simplicity was probably what allowed her to make it so quickly in the first place. Bakugo was still struggling to move when Ponytail loaded a shell into the cannon, aimed it directly at him, and fired.

The sound couldn't hold a candle to his own explosions, but the attack wasn't meant to cause injury. Instead, the shell burst apart to cover him in a net made of weighted chains.

_Oh, hell no! _Bakugo blew apart the net with a pair of explosions, and then, in a move that shocked many in the audience, used another explosion on his own feet. The blast cracked apart the cement, and he was free; sure, it hurt like hell, and he probably had a few fractures in his legs, but it was worth it to see the stunned shock on Ponytail's face.

With a savage grin, Bakugo used another Blast Rush Turbo to get in close; Ponytail's hesitation only lasted a second, but it was enough for him. He landed right in front of her and held both hands a few inches away from her stomach.

"DIE!"

The explosions that followed were nothing compared to the super-blasts he could use, but they were certainly large enough to throw Ponytail out of the ring. The way she limply fell suggested that she was unconscious, and she would have landed on her head, if not for Cementoss creating a gentle slide to catch her at the last second.

"Yaoyorozu is unconscious and out of bounds!" Midnight declared. "Bakugo wins!"

The crowd was more enthusiastic than in previous rounds, probably because he'd deliberately shown restraint—by his standards, anyway. As he limped towards the infirmary, a thought crossed his mind that had him grinning.

_I got a knockout and ring-out in the semifinals, and I did it faster than you, Deku, _he thought. _This was just a warmup for my _real _win, just you wait!_

…

Ben looked concerned, and only got more so as the match had gone on. "Buddy, you okay?"

Midoriya hadn't said a word during the fight, even as his friends called out words of encouragement for Yaoyorozu, and then cries of dismay as she lost. He hadn't even reacted when Uraraka grabbed onto his arm when Yaoyorozu had taken the hit that resulted in her defeat. Instead, he had kept his eyes locked onto Bakugo, his expression set in a way that rarely showed itself.

He was angry.

"I'm going to destroy him," he muttered, and Uraraka blinked at the dangerously even tone in his voice. "He's hurt two of my friends today. No more."

"D-Deku-kun?" Uraraka gently shook his arm. "You're kinda scaring me."

Ben frowned. "Izuku, you need to calm down. Bakugo probably wants you riled up; don't give him the satisfaction."

Midoriya didn't respond to either of them for a moment, but then took a deep breath. "I'm okay. I'm okay." He noticed the looks his friends were giving him, and shrugged. "Okay, I'm still mad, but I'm in control." He pulled himself free from Uraraka and stood up. "I'm going to be in the waiting room."

"Hey, Midoriya?" Sero glanced back at where Bakugo had been. "What're you gonna do out there?"

"It's like I said." Midoriya took long, deliberate strides down the stairs. "I'm going to destroy him."

Ashido waited until he was gone before speaking. "Yeesh. I guess it's true what they say about the timid ones."

…

"I'm worried about those two," All Might said, his fingers laced together in front of his face in a way that was too similar to Sir Nighteye for Gran Torino's liking.

"Who, the boys?" Torino frowned. "Do you know something about them?"

"Yes, but I have only the most circumstantial of evidence." All Might's voice held a level of frustration that he rarely showed to anyone, even Nighteye and Torino. "Young Bakugo and young Midoriya have known each other for most of their lives, but it seems that young Bakugo was quite the bully."

Nighteye frowned. "And such a boy was admitted to UA?"

"Again, there's no direct evidence, since his previous schools did their best to hide it." All Might sneered. "No school wants to ruin the chances of a prospective Hero."

Torino scowled. "Great, we've got one of _those _brats running around. Has he been a problem at UA?"

"Not really, not since his first day at school." All Might coughed up a little blood, but wiped it away with a handkerchief before it dribbled onto his suit. "He's followed the letter of the rules, if not the spirit.

"The worst part is that he _could _be an amazing Hero, but his attitude…" All Might shook his head. "It reminds me of Endeavor at his worst; he always had that inferiority complex with me, and a superiority complex with everyone else. I feel the same happening with young Bakugo, regarding young Midoriya."

Nighteye took a moment to wipe his glasses. "Mirio spoke to me about Midoriya a few days ago; he mentioned that Midoriya was quite close with a handful of classmates, including two of Bakugo's opponents. If Midoriya had a negative childhood, it stands to reason that he would be protective of anyone who showed him genuine friendship. Bakugo's actions today might backfire spectacularly, but only if Midoriya keeps his cool out there."

Torino chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "Yeah, I'd hate for the little broccoli kid to lose it here, when he's so close to winning it all."

All Might sighed. "We'll soon see."

…

"Okay, so you're mad, I get it," Ben said as Midoriya closed the door to the waiting room. "But please tell me that you're not going to sink to Bakugo's level?"

"I'm not," Midoriya replied as he sat down and began writing in his notebook. "I just don't feel like being nice. Bakugo wants to beat me; he can't bully me like he used to, so he wants to 'put me in my place'.

"I have to beat him, not just because I want to prove that I can be a great Hero, but because I know how Bakugo thinks. The more he focuses on beating me, the less he'll focus on hurting any of my friends."

Ben sat on the edge of the table. "So, what, you're going to protect your friends by being a punching bag and letting Bakugo be a total—"

Midoriya looked up when Ben stopped talking, and was surprised when he saw the hologram flickering wildly for a moment.

"What was that?"

Ben looked at his hands. "Tiny fault in my holographic matrix—also, my programming doesn't like it when I try to swear, apparently." He shrugged. "I'm gonna run some self-diagnostics, just to be safe. Can you please promise that you'll take the high road during your fight?"

Midoriya sighed. "I promise not to put Bakugo in the hospital, but I _am _going to completely defeat him today."

"Fair enough." Ben vanished. "Good luck, buddy."

…

In his room, Shigaraki scratched at his neck. "So, the brat made it to the finals, huh?" He glanced at the pile of notes he'd scribbled down. "Maybe all this work isn't for nothing."

At first, Shigaraki had viewed this 'assignment' as little more than homework, but as the Sports Festival had gone on, his opinion had changed. It was like going through a dry run for a raid, studying the different modes a boss might take during a fight—and after the USJ attack and everything he'd seen today, he had to admit that Midoriya was definitely at or near boss-level. He definitely didn't have boss-level fighting experience, but his sheer variety made him a huge threat.

All Might was still the prize, but there were other encounters on this raid, and they needed to be removed. Killing them was still on the table, but it would be far more efficient to just get them out of the way, at least until All Might was dead. Anyone in _that _fight couldn't waste their high-damage, long-cooldown moves on anyone else. With the Symbol of Peace in the grave, every other boss would have such a debuff that killing them would hardly be worth the XP.

So far, the other bosses were easy to read; the internet was such a great tool for figuring out their combos, and their weaknesses. Midoriya, on the other hand, was going to be a problem; if Shigaraki was going to get him off the board, he'd need something special—a team. Not just a few Nomus, who were little more than NPCs, but other players, who could intelligently work together. He'd have to train them up, of course, or hope to get lucky and find players who had already made it to a high level, but it was doable.

"Definitely not a waste of time," he admitted. If anything, this was getting _fun_.

…

"_This is it, folks!" _Present Mic sounded like he was bouncing in his seat. _"You wanted it, I wanted it, and our two fighters definitely wanted it—the final match of the first-year Sports Festival!"_

Midoriya was calmer than before as he walked into view, though he did jump a little at the sheer volume of support. He hadn't really thought about how he'd quickly become a crowd favorite.

Bakugo, on the other hand, couldn't stand still. He bounced up and down on his healed feet, fingers curled and a wide grin stretching across his face. In all the years Midoriya had known him, he had never seen Bakugo so eager.

"_First up is the blonde berserker, the explosive extraordinaire… show some love for Bakugo Katsuki!"_

For once, Bakugo tried working up the crowd, beating his chest once and then holding up his arms. Midoriya was surprised, but if Bakugo had really been looking forward to this match so badly, it made sense that he wanted the crowd as pumped as he was.

"_And his opponent is the kid who keeps us all guessing with what he'll turn into next! He's slimy, creepy, fast and strong, he's every shape and size… let's hear it for Midoriya Izuku!"_

If the noise from before had been loud, it was nothing compared to now. The ground under Midoriya's feet shook from the screams and cheers.

Once the crowd settled, Midnight stepped between the two boys. "Okay, kids, just remember that one of you is still getting second place at your first Sports Festival. That's nothing to be ashamed of, so keep it under control."

As much as Midoriya wanted to beat Bakugo, he knew Midnight was right. "Sure thing, Midnight-sensei."

Bakugo scoffed. "Let's just do this already!"

Seeing as how both boys had basically signaled their readiness, Midnight stepped out of the ring and held up her whip. "All right… begin!"

"Hey, Deku, notice something?" Bakugo held up his bare hands. "No gloves for you to soak, so there's nothing that shitty lobster form of yours can do to stop me."

Midoriya activated the Ultimatrix. "Then it's a good thing I've got other options, _Kacchan_."

Bakugo's eye twitched at the mocking tone used to say his old nickname, and he rushed forward, even as Midoriya slammed down the Ultimatrix's dial. Bakugo delivered an explosion-assisted fist right at where he assumed Midoriya's chest was. Instead of a satisfying smack of a blow well-struck, there was a loud _clang_, and he reeled back, his fist throbbing with pain.

Once again, Midoriya had used a form no one had seen before. This one was taller than an average person, and much wider. His entire body was covered in grey armor, and he looked almost like a furnace that had grown arms and legs. The center of his flat-topped helmet was a grate that glowed orange, and the hourglass dial was on the center of his chest.

"Okay, what's this one called?" Bakugo asked as he put some distance between them.

"I call him NRG." The armor clanked as he took a step forward and spoke with a Russian accent. "I figured you'd use your unpredictable style of attacks, so I picked something that can take anything you can dish out, no matter what angle you come at me from."

"Oh, you think so?" Bakugo grinned, and then propelled himself into the air. "Let's see just how much you can take!"

NRG reflexively held up his arms as Bakugo rained down explosions. Though the blasts didn't hurt, it sounded like a bell was being rung inside his head, and that was getting annoying. Bakugo landed near the edge of his side of the ring, ready for NRG to charge; unfortunately for him, NRG had no intention of stomping around. Instead, the grill on his helmet glowed brighter; that was all the warning Bakugo had before a beam of orange energy shot at him.

"Shit!" Bakugo's reflexes were as sharp as ever, and he managed to launch himself into the air before the beam of radiation hit where his feet had been a second earlier.

Of course, he had planned for Bakugo to move in time. NRG had to be extremely careful with that power; radiation was no laughing matter. He made sure to only aim at the ground; he didn't want to risk accidentally shooting into the audience, even with Cementoss nearby.

"Good dodging, Kacchan," NRG called out. "I'm sure plenty of Heroes will notice how skilled you are at running away."

Bakugo's only response was to bombard him with even stronger explosions, which sent NRG staggering. He had expected this to happen; after years of analyzing Bakugo's Quirk, he knew that his explosions only got more powerful as he sweated more, which meant longer fights worked in his favor.

"I'm also good at chasing," Bakugo sneered as he landed on top of NRG's head. "Don't you remember?"

Bakugo jumped off, but only so that he could deliver a point-blank super-blast; he winced from the pain in his right arm, but switched to his left to deliver a series of rapid-fire blasts into the cloud of smoke he'd created. When the dust settled, he saw the massive crater, with NRG at the bottom; his armor was scuffed and dented, but he appeared otherwise okay.

"Yeah, I remember," NRG said as he got to his feet. "I remember how you'd torment a Quirkless kid, just because you could, and nobody stopped you. I'm sure that made you feel real strong, right? All that talk about being a great Hero, and you went out of your way to beat up someone who couldn't even fight back."

Bakugo sneered again. "That was your damn fault for always trying to hang out, Deku. You should have just stayed out of my life."

"I _did_!" Bakugo was surprised by the anger in NRG's voice. "Don't you remember, when I hardly ever talked to you in middle school!? You hunted _me _down, all to 'put me in my place'. Why? Because I wanted to be a Hero? Before I got my powers, you were positive I'd fail at getting into the Hero Course, so you weren't threatened. So, what, did you just make my life miserable because it was _fun _for you!?"

When Bakugo didn't answer, NRG sighed. "Whatever. I'm done trying to make you into a better person; if you're going to change, do it yourself. Now, I'm just going to beat you and make sure Sero and Yaomomo didn't actually get seriously hurt."

His immediate response was to get blown further into his crater by another super-explosion. His armor was dented further, but he got back to his feet.

"You're going to beat me?" Bakugo almost laughed. "You haven't laid a finger on me yet, Deku!"

"You're right about that," NRG said, and moved his hand over the Ultimatrix dial. "I just wanted you to waste your big explosions, _Kacchan_."

Bakugo's eyes went wide as NRG vanished in a flash of green light.

"_What's this?" _Present Mic's enthusiasm was in stark contrast to Bakugo's alarm. _"It seems that Midoriya has finally transformed mid-battle! So far, he's only used one form for every event and match today!"_

"_This was probably his strategy," _Aizawa said. _"He wanted Bakugo to use his best move, and then turn into something that would give him an easier fight."_

The green light had faded by now, but there was nothing in the crater—no new form for Bakugo to be wary of, and nothing for the crowd to freak out about. Bakugo's instincts screamed at him, but just as he turned, he felt the pain of a fist in his face.

"_Wait, what just happened? Why did Bakugo fall over?"_

"_If I had to guess, Midoriya happened."_

Bakugo stood up, only to get punched again, this time in the stomach. "What… what the fuck, Deku? Are you ripping off that see-through bitch now?"

"First of all, that's really rude," a sinister voice hissed, and then Bakugo's feet were pulled out from under him. "Second of all… yeah, kind of."

Finally, Midoriya's latest alien appeared, and this one made everyone a little apprehensive. He only had two thin arms, but no legs; instead, he floated in the air. His body was covered in grey skin, with black lines; he had no mouth, nose or ears, just a single eye, and the Ultimatrix dial looked like it was buried in his chest.

"I call this one 'Ghostfreak'," he went on. "I thought it would be appropriate; after all, you called me a Quirkless freak for years. That was one of your favorite insults, right behind 'worthless'."

Bakugo raised a hand to blast him, but Ghostfreak simply sank to, and through, the ground, leaving Bakugo without a target.

…

"Whoa." Togata watched as Midoriya's latest form made its debut. "It's like my Quirk, only he can also turn invisible!"

Hado shivered. "Yeah, but it's kinda creepy. I liked the armored form from before."

"It's hard to tell, since neither of the forms he's used have mouths," Amajiki said, "but I think Midoriya was yelling at Bakugo. He was definitely acting angry."

That worried the Big Three; they had seen Midoriya nervous, determined, and eager, but until now, they thought Midoriya didn't have an angry bone in his body.

They continued to watch as Midoriya's arm phased up through the ground; his hand turned solid and grabbed Bakugo by the face, and then slammed him headfirst into the floor.

"Should…" Hado looked at her friends nervously. "Should we be worried?"

Togata shrugged. "For Midoriya? Probably not. For Bakugo? I think we should."

…

"Tell me, _Kacchan_—how does it feel to be totally powerless?" Ghostfreak hovered over him with his arms crossed. "How does it feel to know that, no matter how hard you try, you'll never even scratch me?" He floated lower, so that he was level with Bakugo as he got to his feet. "That's how I felt every day for _years_."

Bakugo spat out blood. "Is there a rest stop between here and your fucking point?"

"Not really. I just wanted to say that… I'm done with you." To Bakugo's surprise and confusion, Ghostfreak shrugged casually; it was as if a switch had been thrown. "I said what I needed to say, and now, I feel like I can move on with my life. I have friends who care about me, and I care about them. Why should I focus on the crap you put me through, when I can focus on all the good times I'm having with them?

"Don't get me wrong, you're still a jerk—the biggest jerk I've ever met, and I don't think we'll ever be friends—but I'm willing to take the high road. I just put you through all that because you wouldn't have listened to me otherwise. Also, you hurt my friends, so, you know… payback." Ghostfreak's eye crinkled, and Bakugo suspected he was smiling. "Now that that's settled, I'll be winning this fight."

"I've still got plenty of fight left in me!" Bakugo wasn't wrong; those hits had hurt, sure, but they were far from debilitating.

"That doesn't really matter to me." Ghostfreak moved, but though Bakugo's instincts again tried to save him, his body was battered just enough to slow his reflexes, and he wasn't fast enough to stop Ghostfreak from flying _into him_.

It felt like ice flowed through his veins; he tried to fight it, to stop Ghostfreak from getting any further, but it was useless. He stopped struggling almost immediately; his eyes turned black, and ebon lines crawled from the corners of each eye. He then straightened up and looked down at his hands.

Midnight took a step forward. "Bakugo? Are you all right?"

Bakugo smiled; it was bizarre, because the smile on his face was actually _friendly_. "Sorry, Midnight-sensei; Bakugo isn't home right now."

Midnight flinched; it had been Bakugo's mouth that moved, but it was Ghostfreak's voice. "Midoriya?"

"Yes, Midnight-sensei." Ghostfreak/Bakugo lifted his hands higher, and two small explosions shot out. "Huh. So that's how it works. I always wondered." He shook his head and turned back to Midnight. "I'm going to take him out of bounds now."

"Er… okay." Midnight paused as a thought came to her. "Are you sure about that? If you're, um, inside him, you'll both be out of bounds, and it will be a draw."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Ghostfreak/Bakugo casually walked to the edge of the ring, and the crowd held its breath.

Ghostfreak flew out of Bakugo's back; just as the latter groaned and shook his head, the former pushed him, and Bakugo stumbled over the line.

"Bakugo is out of bounds!" Midnight shouted. "Midoriya wins!"

There was a half-second pause, and then the stadium shook with the force of the cheers.

"_There you have it!" _Present Mic screamed. _"In what has to be one of the most exciting Sports Festivals we've had in years, our first-year winner is none other than Midoriya Izuku!"_

Midoriya turned back to normal and waved at his cheering friends and classmates, just as Bakugo got his bearings.

"Wait, what?" Bakugo whirled and glared at Midoriya. "What the fuck was that, Deku!?"

Midoriya shrugged. "I won?"

Bakugo looked down at his feet, still out of bounds; he then stomped over to Midoriya and grabbed him by the front of his shirt.

"What kind of shitty win is that!?" he demanded. "This was supposed to be a real fight! Why would you use a cheap trick like that!?"

Before Midoriya could answer, a cloud of pink vapor swirled around them. Bakugo fell unconscious almost immediately, and Midoriya wasn't too far behind; he stumbled back, but Midnight caught him.

"Sorry about that," the teacher said gently. "I had to get both of you with my Quirk, but I did my best to give you a smaller dose. You'll wake up in a few minutes."

Midoriya yawned. "Th-thanks, Midnight-sen—zzzz."

…

There was a slight delay before the first-year medal ceremony could begin; Midoriya and Bakugo had to recover from Midnight's Quirk, Todoroki and Yaoyorozu still had to be cleared by Recovery Girl, and the arena needed to be repaired once again.

Midoriya was still tired, but he was happier than he could ever remember. A year ago, he had been the Quirkless outcast of his school; now, he was attending the most prestigious Hero school in the country—arguably the world—he had friends, and he had just _won the UA Sports Festival!_

If he was being honest, there was one thing that might have been better than all of that—Uraraka might have been happy for him after his fight with Todoroki, but that was nothing compared to now.

"Deku-kun, that was amazing!" Uraraka hugged him tight enough to hurt. "You were so cool out there!"

Maybe it was the lingering effects of Midnight's Quirk, maybe he was just getting used to hugging girls, but Midoriya had no problem returning Uraraka's hug.

"Thanks," he said. Then, as if it had really occurred to him for the first time, his eyes went wide and he spun in a circle with Uraraka still in his arms. "I won! I actually _won_!"

Uraraka laughed; she wasn't just happy for him because he won, but because she had never heard such honest _joy _in his voice before. In that moment, there was no trace of his usual anxiety and hesitation; instead, he was a happy boy that a small part of Uraraka admitted she might, _might_, have a crush on.

Then the moment was gone, and Midoriya realized where his arms were; he went as red-faced as anyone had ever seen, and he sputtered as he put her down. Fortunately for him, no one teased him, though that was because Kirishima put him in a friendly headlock.

"Dude, that was so freakin' manly!" Kirishima shouted. "You just took everything Bakugo had to throw at you, and then you just went 'yeah, I'm done', and kicked the snot out of him!"

"More like he _punched _the snot out of him," Ashido corrected. "That last form didn't have feet. Hey, Midori, what was up with that one, anyway? You were kinda brutal out there—not that Bakugo didn't have it coming, but still…"

Midoriya's smile faded a little. "W-well, Ghostfreak is a little weird. I'm not really a fan of using him, even if he's really useful, but he makes me feel… mean."

That was more true than he was willing to say in front of people. He had intended to give Bakugo a piece of his mind, but before he'd possessed him, he had felt sick pleasure in returning even a fraction of the pain Bakugo had caused him over the years.

Ben had warned him about Ghostfreak when he'd first unlocked that particular alien. Some of the original personality could bleed through if he was stressed or angry enough; apparently, the real Ben had even had to fight Ghostfreak when he'd gained self-awareness and escaped the Omnitrix, but that was no longer a concern. Still, Midoriya decided not to use Ghostfreak unless he had to.

"Still, you were able to rein in your demons before it overwhelmed you," Tokoyami said. "I have some experience with that, if you want to master that form."

Midoriya smiled and nodded, but then Asui tapped his arm. "Ribbit, the medals are going to be handed out soon, Midoriya; you should get out there."

"R-right, thanks, Tsuyu." He smiled at Yaoyorozu and Todoroki, sporting fresh uniforms and plenty of bandages. "Are you guys ready?"

Yaoyorozu nodded tiredly. "I'm certainly proud, but I'm more looking forward to getting home and sleeping in."

"Same," Todoroki said; the boy looked half-asleep, but managed to stay on his feet. However, after the rest of the class headed out to the area in front of the repaired ring, he turned to Midoriya. "Thank you, by the way."

"F-for what?"

"Everything you said during our fight." Todoroki sighed. "I have a lot to think about, but I'm going to start using my left side." He paused and glanced at Yaoyorozu, who smiled understandingly and put some distance between them. "I spoke to Endeavor after I woke up."

"You did?" Sudden worry clouded Midoriya's features. "Are you okay?"

Todoroki smirked. "The bastard works me hard, but he wouldn't dare hurt me; I'm his best chance at beating All Might, after all. Actually, he was just… well, not happy, but he was satisfied that I'd used my flames. He offered to teach me to control them better, and I accepted."

"Really? I thought you, well, hated him."

"Oh, I still do," Todoroki said with a shrug. "But he's still unquestionably the best fire-Quirk user in generations. If I'm going to use my flames well, I need to learn from the best."

"Th-that's good." Midoriya noticed Yaoyorozu waving them over. "We should hurry, they're going to start soon."

"Where's Bakugo?" Todoroki looked around, and saw the boy in question standing off to the side, hands shoved in his pockets and covered in bandages. He didn't look as furious as before; instead, he seemed a mixture of thoughtful and grumpy. "Never mind, there he is."

"He s-seems in a better mood," Midoriya said, "let's go before that changes."

"Sure." Todoroki hesitated, and then decided to go for it. "Hey, Midoriya, can I give you my phone number? So we can talk? If you want, I mean."

Midoriya thought about it, and how lonely Todoroki seemed at times. "Sure, but on one condition."

"Go ahead?" Todoroki tried not to sound apprehensive, but that had been one of Midoriya's default settings for most of his life, so he gave him a friendly smile to calm him down.

"If you're going to talk to me, you have to talk to all my friends." And then he gently elbowed Todoroki. "And if it's all right with you, I'm sure they'd like to be _your _friends too."

"I'd… like that. I've never had many friends."

Midoriya grinned. "Then you're going to fit right in."

…

"Okay, that's so sweet, I think I just got diabetes." The girl turned to her companion. "Can we go now? Please? Any more of this and I'm going to start puking rainbows."

"Fine, fine." The man ruffled her hair. "We got what we needed, and we can track him down if we have to."

"Finally!"

There was a flash of light, and then it was like they had never been there at all.

…

"I AM HERE!" All Might shouted as he fell from the sky and landed in front of the podium. "AND I HAVE BROUGHT THE MEDALS!"

The crowd cheered as the number-one Hero arrived. For the audience, today had been one treat after another; seeing All Might was just the cherry on top.

For All Might, he was incredibly happy; he loved to see up-and-coming Heroes show what they could do, and the Sports Festival was only a third of the way done. The fact that the winners of the first-year events were all his students filled him with pride.

"Young Yaoyorozu," he said, muting his mic so that his words were for the girl alone, "you showed excellent strategic decisions during your matches. With enough preparation, I daresay that you'll be a match for nearly any Villain!"

Yaoyorozu blushed and bowed her head. "Thank you, All Might-sensei."

"However," All Might continued, "your weakness is that you hesitate when things don't go according to plan, or if you simply don't have time to react. Work on those reflexes, and you'll be a force to be reckoned with."

The girl nodded, and then accepted both the bronze medal All Might placed around her neck, and the brief hug he gave her.

"Young Todoroki." All Might placed a hand on the other third-place winner's shoulder. "I don't know why you decided to use your flames, and I won't pry. However, this decision will only help your growth, and I know that this is an important step in your journey. Make sure that your footing on this path is secure; starting is easy, but it is even easier to backslide in the beginning."

Todoroki met his gaze evenly. "I know. I… have someone to talk to about that, just in case."

All Might suspected he knew who Todoroki was talking about, but didn't comment. Instead, he gave the boy the other bronze medal and hugged him.

"Ah, young Bakugo." All Might kept up his grin, but it was a little harder; the runner-up had left a bad impression on him early on, and his behavior during the Sports Festival hadn't done much to improve that. Still, the boy was calm enough now; maybe losing so thoroughly had opened his eyes. "There is no shame in coming in second place. This is only your first Sports Festival, and you have plenty of time to grow."

"Yeah." Bakugo held up the silver medal All Might placed around his neck. "Hey, All Might, can I ask a question?"

"Of course! I can't guarantee I'll give you an answer you'll like, though."

"Whatever." Bakugo glanced at Midoriya for a second. "Does being the best mean proving you're the strongest at everything?"

"Not in the slightest," All Might said, and gently hugged the boy so that he could whisper in his ear. "For all that our society loves ranking Heroes in popularity, there's really only one person you should ever work to impress—yourself. As long as you do your very best, even if you fail, you can walk away from anything with your head held high."

"… Okay." Bakugo frowned thoughtfully. "Well, I'm still gonna be the greatest Hero ever; that's my goal, and I won't stop until I achieve it. Just you wait, All Might, I'm gonna surpass even you and Deku."

All Might wasn't sure what surprised him more—that Bakugo seemed to be listening to honest advice, or that he had compared him to young Midoriya. He appeared to have done the latter without really thinking about it. All Might chose to let Bakugo think about things as he moved on to the winner.

"Young Midoriya," he said, "congratulations on winning your first Sports Festival. You showed determination, creativity, and a compassionate heart, all of which are the best qualities of a Hero. You'll go far, I just know it."

Midoriya didn't even try to hide the tears pouring down his face. "Th-thank you, All M-Might…"

All Might placed the gold medal around the boy's neck, and then hugged him; from the way he was trembling, All Might was genuinely worried that the fanboy was about to pass out.

"One more thing," he said quietly. "I remember what I said to you, back on that rooftop. I know that you have your Quirk now, but it doesn't excuse how I dismissed you. Quirkless or no, that was unacceptable, and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

There was a choking noise, and then Midoriya nodded. All Might smiled and patted him on the shoulder before turning to the crowd.

"THERE YOU HAVE IT, FOLKS!" he shouted, and the speakers carried his booming voice a fair distance beyond the arena. "GIVE IT UP FOR NOT JUST OUR WINNERS, BUT ALSO EVERYONE WHO WENT BEYOND TODAY! SAY IT WITH ME…"

The arena shook with the combined force of thousands of voices.

"PLUS ULTRA!"

_(Dakara, Hiroti ja Nai—Little Glee Monster, TV version)_

_The music starts, and the scene opens with UA's Rising Stars sitting together on a hill. Midoriya points at something on the horizon and smiles. They all get up and begin to run. In the sky, clearly visible in the evening air, is a shooting star._

_The scene shifts to Midoriya standing in the middle of his room, looking down at the Ultimatrix. Behind him, Ben smiles, even as he flickers. Midoriya is then seen walking down a sidewalk in his school uniform. His friends are around him, talking excitedly; Todoroki is also there, but is hanging back and looks unsure. He then looks up and sees Midoriya gesturing for him to come closer; he smiles and takes a step forward._

_The scene changes again, this time to a training area. Midoriya has turned into Four Arms, and is holding up the arm of a UA robot that was trying to crush Uraraka. The two grin, and then the scene flashes forward to the Rising Stars, including Todoroki, sitting on a pile of destroyed robots and looking exhausted, but happy._

_Finally, the eight students are heading home. Midoriya is laughing at something Sero says, Uraraka has linked arms with Asui and Yaoyorozu, and all three girls are smiling, Ashido has an arm around Todoroki's shoulders while she sticks out her tongue at Iida, who is trying to reprimand her. The scene fades to black as it zooms in on Midoriya's smile._

**There we have it, the end of the Sports Festival! I probably could have stretched it out over a few more chapters, but there's no way I could stretch one or even two fights into a chapter with a length that I could accept. Also… well, I didn't want to. I hope you enjoyed the fights, especially Midoriya's, though it was a fun challenge to write Yaoyorozu's fights as well.**

**And, yeah, Todoroki is going to join the Rising Stars. I like him, so he's here to stay. Also, some Bakugo growth! Don't expect him to mellow out that much (I actually kind of like writing him as this unending bundle of fury), but he's also going to be less antagonistic. Oh, and he's probably not going to show up as often as some of you might expect, but that's because this story is focusing on Midoriya and his friends. Bakugo might stop being his enemy, but he's never going to be his friend.**

**Finally, there's the mystery duo. We'll see them again, but not for a while. That's all I'm going to say on that front.**

**Anyway, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. It's available in paperback and eBook format on Amazon, and as a PDF on my website (link in my profile). Please help me out there, as I'm lucky to get more than a couple of sales a month at this point, and since I still haven't found work, it's one of my only sources of income.**

**If you've already bought my book (in which case, thank you very much!), or just want to support me in another way, I have a P-atreon account (link in my profile). If every one of my readers donates just a few bucks every month, I will be able to afford my own place in no time, and then be free of distractions that keep me from writing fan fiction. Also, I'll be able to buy my own food.**

**Here's a list of people who have supported me the most:**

**Serious Muffins: jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, John Collins, Calleo, Casey Pak, Red Bard, Ultimatrix10**

**Incredible Muffins:**** RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844, killroy225**

**Ultra Muffins:**** Adam Costello, Jeffrey Perigo, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Midoriya and friends relax after the Sports Festival, new opportunities arise, and Iida gets some important advice.**

**Plus Muffin!**


	14. Rest for the Weary

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I THOUGHT PUTTING GLUE ON MY FEET WOULD HELP ME CLIMB WALLS. IT DIDN'T, AND NOW I'M STUCK. CAN SOMEONE HELP ME?**

**It's time for a break! Not writing this story, I mean, just for the… you know what, just keep going.**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 14

Rest for the Weary

Before heading home, Class 1-A was brought to their homeroom, where Aizawa was waiting. Despite not doing anything but make the occasional comment, the man looked as exhausted as his students felt.

"Don't worry, I won't hold you up for long," he sighed. "I just wanted to let you know that you have the next two days off. You'll come back on Friday, but it'll be a light day; mostly, you'll just spend some time looking over your options for Hero internships."

There was a collective sigh of relief. Even if they had to come back for a day in the middle of the break, they were all happy to get some time off to recover. Midoriya and his friends were slower to leave the classroom, out of consideration for Yaoyorozu and Sero's injuries. Bakugo was the last to leave before them; to Midoriya's shock, Bakugo looked him straight in the eye and nodded almost imperceptibly, and then left.

"Man, Tenya is gonna be sad that he missed all that," Ashido said, and then covered up a yawn. "I'm so tired. Ochako, can you make me weightless and carry me home?" When there was no response, Ashido turned. "Ochako?"

The girl in question was giving Asui a hard look, as if she was trying to figure something out. "Tsu, are you okay?"

Asui glanced around to make sure that only her closest friends would hear her. "About Tenya, ribbit… I need to tell you what happened."

…

Tenya smiled as his parents slept in their chairs, and his brother slept on the hospital bed. After everything he had been through that day, he was ready for some rest of his own, but even with the police outside, he just couldn't cease his vigil.

He was almost glad when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He looked at it and realized that it was his messenger app.

_Ah. Tsu must have told them. The Sports Festival must be over. I suppose I should face the music, as it were._

All Might: Tenya! Is your brother okay!?

Tenya raised an eyebrow. _It's only Izuku?_

Glasses: My brother is going to recover. His injuries were severe, but not life-threatening. He will be discharged in about a week, and he will have to take a break from work for several more weeks. Thank you for asking.

Glasses: I mean no offense, but I assumed that Tsu told everyone, so I expected everyone to be messaging me.

All Might: We're all right here, so I'm speaking for all of us. Ochako and Momo are worried sick, Hanta is freaking out because it was the Hero Killer, Tsu feels guilty, and Mina wants to hit you for not telling us right away. She's also crying.

All Might: She just hit me for that.

Tenya smiled, touched by his friends' concern.

Glasses: I deeply apologize for not saying anything, but I had little information to go on at the time, and I did not wish to distract any of you from the Sports Festival. How did that go?

The pause that followed lasted several minutes, to the point that Tenya wondered if he had said something to offend them. He was honest enough to admit that he wasn't the most socially adept person in the world, so he might have said something wrong without realizing.

Finally, the messenger app began to ding again.

All Might: Sorry, Aizawa-sensei got mad at us and kicked us out of the classroom. Everyone is upset because the Sports Festival isn't important, your brother is.

All Might: Mina hit me again, and I don't know why.

Tenya made a note to bow to all of his friends for causing them such distress.

All Might: Momo is trying to defend you because you didn't know the details. I think she's right.

All Might: Mina tried to hit me again, but Ochako blocked her. Mina is now floating.

Tenya fought hard not to laugh.

Glasses: Once again, I apologize. I promise that I will not keep you out of the loop again. Obviously, I hope that something like this does not come up that requires such a predicament, but I make that promise all the same.

All Might: Hanta just said that he can imagine you bowing as you say that. So can I. Mina is laughing, but I'm pretty sure she's going to hit you when she sees you. Speaking of which, Momo invited us all to her house on Sunday. Can you come?

Glasses: I believe so. I will check with my family before then.

Glasses: Thank you for everything. I appreciate your kindness.

Glasses: Now, will someone please tell me what happened during the Sports Festival?

…

After everything that had happened that day, Shoto felt both strengthened and completely drained. Finally using his fire had felt like gaining something he had long missed, but there was still one more thing he had to do, before his newfound resolve possibly cracked.

His sister, Fuyumi, had been astonished when he asked where his mother was hospitalized. After all these years, he was finally going to see her. Fuyumi had asked if Endeavor knew what the youngest Todoroki was planning.

Shoto honestly didn't care.

And so, despite how exhausted he was, he found himself outside a hospital room. He opened the door, and saw a woman with snow-white hair staring out the window. She turned to him with shock in her eyes.

"Shoto?"

"Hi, Mom."

…

Izuku yawned as he walked up to the door. After everything he'd been through, both physically and emotionally, he was ready to do absolutely nothing for as long as possible. He opened the door—

"IZUKU!"

—and was immediately engulfed in a hug from his mother, followed by streams of tears that soaked his shirt.

"Oh, Izuku!" Inko sobbed as she half-dragged her son inside. "I'm so proud of you! You were absolutely amazing…"

Inko went on and on about everything she felt while watching the Sports Festival. Izuku tried to listen, but after a while, his mind began to wander.

_I should really watch the rest of the Sports Festival before I go to sleep. I know I missed part of the second-year event, but I can probably catch the rest, and I really want to see how Mirio, Hado and Amajiki do in the third-year events._

"Izuku?" Inko gently poked her son to get his attention. "Are you okay?"

Izuku nodded tiredly. "Yeah, Mom, I'm just really tired."

"Do you want to go to sleep? I know you probably want to watch the rest of the Sports Festival, but—"

Izuku rapidly shook his head to wake himself up. "No, I'm fine! I have a few friends in the third-year event, and I want to see how they do!"

"Okay, we'll compromise," Inko said with an understanding smile. "You take a nap, and I'll wake you up when the third-year event starts. And I've been recording the whole thing anyway."

"Thanks, Mom." Izuku looked down at the Ultimatrix. "You too, Ben."

Ben materialized and raised an eyebrow. "What did I do?"

"For…" Izuku pointed to the Ultimatrix, and then to the medal around his neck. "For everything."

Ben smiled at him. "All I did was get you started. Everything else was all you, buddy."

Izuku blamed the tears that followed on his exhaustion.

…

The next day, Midoriya did almost nothing. He had recovered physically, but he was still emotionally drained. The only thing he did, which he made sure to do only after his mother left for work, was research.

That wasn't unusual for him; he was always on the lookout for Hero-related events on the news, or delving into obscure information about Heroes that had retired or died long ago. Sometimes, however, he researched Villains. They rarely received as much attention, since only the most dangerous remained at large for more than a few days. Today, Midoriya was researching one Villain in particular.

The Hero Killer: Stain.

He had been active for a few months now, and had killed or severely injured nearly four dozen Heroes and Sidekicks. Honestly, Midoriya was amazed that someone so high-profile had not been the target of a massive Hero-led manhunt much earlier.

The problem, he quickly realized, was that Stain rarely stayed in one location for long. He would attack three or four Heroes, and then vanish. It didn't take Midoriya long to map out Stain's attacks; the only commonalities between each location were that they had a high concentration of Heroes, which made sense. Rural areas had never been hit.

Midoriya also took notes on how the Hero Killer struck—always in areas that favored close-quarters combat, and always with a high-speed ambush. His attacks were always with blades, ranging from small knives to a jagged sword.

Nothing he had found was new; if anything, he was just compiling notes from the many news reports he read. What had people stumped was Stain's Quirk; it had something to do with paralysis, but nobody was sure how it worked.

Thankfully, Iida had given him a clue. His brother had told him that Stain had ingested some of his blood, and that of his Sidekicks; after that, none of them had been unable to move for several minutes. What interested Midoriya was that each victim had recovered at different times. He had asked Iida to tell him the exact order of who had been attacked, and who had recovered first. While he waited, he began to pace his room.

"There are a number of factors that could be at play," he muttered. "It could be the amount of blood consumed, the number of successive uses of his Quirk, or maybe blood type…"

"Can I just say that any Quirk that involves drinking someone's blood is creepy?" Ben cut in from the Ultimatrix. "Also, isn't there a Quirk registry that would trigger some red flags, especially once Ingenium told the cops about this?"

Midoriya shrugged. "Some Quirks might have hidden effects some people don't know about, others evolve over time… and some people lie about their Quirks, like I did."

"Point taken. Speaking of 'evolving' Quirks, I have something for you; consider it a prize for doing so well in the Sports Festival." The Ultimatrix beeped, and the dial spun on its own. "Check it out, a new alien!"

Midoriya looked at the hologram of the alien in question. It looked like a battery with tiny arms and legs, big eyes, and a smile full of crooked teeth.

"What's this one?"

"He's called Buzzshock, and he's got all kinds of fun powers." Ben paused when Midoriya's phone buzzed. "I'll give you the rundown later; looks like Iida got back to you."

Midoriya went over what Iida sent him about Ingenium's team. He compared the notes of who got attacked first versus who recovered first. Iida had also gone above and beyond by giving an estimate of how much blood each victim had lost. With that information, Midoriya was able to come to his best conclusion.

"Going by this, I'm almost positive that the effectiveness of Stain's Quirk relies on blood type. I doubt Tenya could get me that kind of personal information, but I'll give him what I have."

"Hey, if it helps, it helps." Ben paused again, but Midoriya had a feeling he was shrugging. "What about that Vigilante who helped his brother? Any thoughts on him?"

Midoriya brought out a second notebook for just that purpose, but there was little written down. "Nothing new there. Healing Quirks generally work in one of two ways—either they're like Recovery Girl's Quirk and rely on the injured person's own stamina to recover, or the _user's _stamina is required, like a healing version of Hado's Quirk. Aside from that, I don't have anything to go on."

"Well, it's something," Ben said. "Better to have it and not need it, right?"

"Right." Midoriya smiled as he held up the Ultimatrix. "Now, about this 'Buzzshock'?"

…

All Might: Hey, guys, how is everyone?

Comet: I'm good, Deku-kun! I had a really cool surprise when I came home, my parents visited me!

All Might: Wait, why did they visit? Don't you live with them?

Comet: Oh! I forgot to tell you guys! I live in an apartment while I'm at UA. It's easier than traveling all the way from home to school.

Crayon: wow, so grownup! Ooh, maybe Tsu, Yaomomo and i can visit for a girls nite

Tape: My fellow guys, I think we were just kicked out. Wanna see a movie or something?

All Might: There's a theater that plays old pre-Quirk superhero movies that I sometimes go to. It's cool to see how many abilities people could come up with before we actually had powers.

Glasses: My brother is a fan of someone called Quicksilver. Do you know him, Izuku? Oh, and he is doing better, and sends his regards to all of you.

All Might: I know who he's talking about. Both versions are good.

Frog: Girls, we should start a separate chat for a ladies night, ribbit. We've lost the boys.

Book: I'm conflicted. I want to have a girls night out, but I am also a fan of Scarlet Witch.

Comet: I have no idea who any of you are talking about.

Crayon: ^

All Might: First, to those of you who have never seen a Marvel movie, shame on you, and I will make you watch the entire franchise with me. Second, before Tsu creates a new chat, can I bring someone into our group?

Comet: I get worried when Deku-kun gets assertive.

Comet: Also, yes!

Snowflake: Hello.

Book: Todoroki-san?

Crayon: hey! Yaomomo, u no the rules, first names only!

Book: May we call you by your first name, Todoroki?

Snowflake: That's fine. Wait, Izuku, you watch those old movies?

All Might: Do you?

Snowflake: Yes. My favorites are the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Tape: Didn't figure you for a comedy guy, Shoto.

Snowflake: Drax is very relatable.

Frog: Okay, now we've lost the boys, ribbit.

…

When Friday rolled around, Midoriya was nervous; the schoolwork itself wasn't hard, but it was all a prelude to Heroics. That was when the students would find out how many internship offers they got; after that, they would have the weekend to choose who to sign up with for a whole week.

"Everyone sit down," a bandage-free Aizawa said. "This is important. Now, most years, we have a more even spread of internship offers, but a few of you made quite the impression. In addition, many of you likely received offers from the same agencies, so it's not as huge as you might think."

Aizawa pressed a button, and a screen slid down from the ceiling. On that screen was a list of 1-A students, with a number of offers attached.

Midoriya Izuku: 3,101

Todoroki Shoto: 2,582

Bakugo Katsuki: 1,033

Yaoyorozu Momo: 652

Iida Tenya: 437

Tokoyami Fumikage: 202

Kirishima Eijiro: 106

Ashido Mina: 92

Uraraka Ochako: 58

Sero Hanta: 50

Asui Tsuyu: 45

"Those of you who aren't on the board, don't worry. You'll still have internships; there are a few dozen agencies that always take a student or two. All of you have access to those agencies if you want, but those of you on the board were specifically selected. Choose carefully."

Midoriya barely heard him; he was too focused on his name at the top of the list. Over three thousand agencies had offered him an internship! How was he supposed to choose just one?

"Guys, look at that!" Uraraka was bouncing in her seat. "We all got offers! People _want _us!"

Iida nodded. "It is an honor to receive so many offers, despite only reaching the second round."

Yaoyorozu had one hand over her mouth, and looked to be on the verge of tears. "Over six hundred offers… I can't believe it!"

"Ribbit, I'm just glad I got any," Asui said. "I lost so easily, so I was kind of worried."

"Same here." Sero grinned at her. "Still, we all got something, and in our first year, too!"

"Just a few more and I would have broken a hundred." Ashido's smile was wide, but she still managed to sound disappointed.

Mineta, who had initially been peeved that he hadn't received any offers of his own, noticed something odd. "Hey, how come Bakugo didn't get more offers? He came in second place!"

Kaminari, who sat next to him, smirked. "We all saw how brutal he was during the whole Sports Festival. I guess a lot of agencies didn't want someone like that."

Bakugo sneered. "If they're scared of me, then they ain't worth my time."

"Before I hand out your offers, there's something else you need to do." Aizawa sighed. "You'll be going out into the field, which means that you'll need Hero names." The class immediately cheered, only to go silent when Aizawa's eyes glowed and his hair rose. "However, be very careful about what you choose, because if it's something you end up hating—"

"You'll regret it!" The door slammed open and Midnight walked in with a wicked smirk. "Plenty of Heroes choose names that they think are good, only to realize later that they're awful and try to change them, but everyone already know them by the name that they hate."

Aizawa nodded, and then handed out whiteboards and markers. "I'm not really that good with this sort of thing, so Midnight will be evaluating your choices. You don't have to listen to her advice, unless your choice is offensive, but I suggest you take what she says to heart."

Most of the students whispered to each other, sharing their ideas and offering suggestions for changes. For his part, Midoriya stared blankly at his whiteboard; for years, he'd fantasized about being a Hero, and what his name would be. Most of his ideas had started out as homages to All Might; recently, he'd thought of a few names that were based around the Ultimatrix. However, none of them really felt right.

_What's a good Hero name? I've only ever been called by my real name, or…_

A name came to mind. At first, it had been a source of pain and ridicule, but then, someone wonderful had given it new meaning. When he thought about it in its new context, it felt… good. It felt like a name he could be proud to have.

With that in mind, he put his marker against his board, but at the last second, he added in one more thing. He had the name of who he was, but he also added what he wanted to become. It didn't hurt that Ben appeared, looked at what he had written, and grinned.

Even with the time it took to get feedback from friends, it didn't take long for the rest of the class to come up with their own names. Most of them had likely had names in mind for years, so it wasn't very surprising.

The names themselves were a mixed bag at first. Some, like Ojiro's 'Tailman' made sense, but others, like Aoyama's 'I Just Can't Stop Twinkling', were politely but firmly asked to be reworked. In the latter's case, he came up with 'Twinkling Knight', which was acceptable.

Kirishima caught Midoriya's attention with his chosen name. He knew about Crimson Riot, and he was excited to discuss with the newly-dubbed Red Riot the Hero who inspired him.

Another that was rejected was Bakugo's choice; he held up his board and proudly called out his name. "Lord Explosion Murder!"

There was silence, and then Midnight shook her head. "No."

"What? Why not? It's awesome!"

"It has 'murder' in it. Either take that out, or come up with something completely different."

Bakugo mulled it over for a second, then crossed out his first choice and wrote down 'Ground Zero'.

"Better," Midnight said. "Still aggressive, but it doesn't feel like a death threat."

Bakugo scowled and went back to his seat. Todoroki was next, and his choice was a bit confusing.

"Okay, why 'Triumph'?" Midnight asked.

Todoroki shrugged. "My father is Endeavor; his name literally means 'trying,' or 'effort'. I want to be a better Hero than him, so I chose a name that meant success.

"Just do your best to live up to your name," Midnight advised.

Midoriya wondered about Todoroki's Hero name. He knew his new friend wanted to lead a life without Endeavor hanging over his head, so he'd thought Todoroki would pick something completely unrelated to his father. Maybe he was trying to show that he could take everything he had suffered and make something positive out of it.

Now, the rest of UA's Rising Stars began coming to the front of the room. Asui was first, and she looked confident.

"I've had this name in mind since middle school," she said, and held up her sign. "The Rainy Season Heroine: Froppy!"

Midnight clapped her hands together. "Oh, that's adorable!"

Sero's 'Tape Hero: Cellophane' was also approved, as was Uraraka's 'Uravity'—it might have just been a combination of her name and gravity, but Midoriya liked it.

Iida held up his sign with pride. "The Boost Hero: Virtus!"

Midnight cocked her head. "My Latin is a bit rusty. Care to explain?"

"Ah, my apologies." Iida adjusted his glasses. "Ingenium, my brother's Hero name, translates to 'ingenious'. It is a name that has been used in one way or another for several generations in my family. However, since both my brother and I will be active Heroes at the same time, I have chosen a name that can mean courage and reliability, traits I see as the most important in a Hero. Perhaps, when my brother retires, I may take the name Ingenium for my own, but until then, Virtus will be the name of a Hero my family can be proud of!"

"Very nice," Midnight complimented. "And thank you for the explanation."

Ashido jumped out of her seat next, though she patted Iida on the shoulder as she ran up to the front and showed off her name. "The Pink Heroine: Alien Queen!"

Midnight frowned. "I'm not sure if 'Alien Queen' will send the right message. Some people might think of a certain movie franchise instead of a Heroine."

Ashido grinned at her. "First, I love those movies! Second, that's why I put in the title; people are more comfortable if they're told that someone is pink, it makes them feel safe."

"Okay, that shows some depth that I hadn't thought of," Midnight admitted.

"Yaomomo helped me." Ashido waved to the Class President, who smiled and waved back. "So, can I keep the name?"

"Fine, go ahead." Midnight pointed at Yaoyorozu. "Since you got called out, do you mind coming up next?"

"Of course, Midnight-sensei!" Yaoyorozu brought up her board, which she'd written on with perfect kanji. "The Creation Heroine: Genesis!"

"Ooh, so elegant!"

Yaoyorozu blushed at the compliment, and then went back to her seat. Midoriya leaned over to whisper to his friends.

"Those are all great names!"

Uraraka beamed. "Thanks, Deku-kun. You're up next, right?"

"Yeah, I'm the last." Midoriya took a deep breath, and then got up. He walked to the front of the class and held up his sign. There were murmurs of confusion, even from some of his friends.

"Are you sure about that, Midoriya?" Midnight looked concerned. "The first part is bold, and I like that, but the actual name…"

"I know," Midoriya said. "When I was young, this name was the worst insult to me. It… it really hurt to hear anyone say it. But then someone came up with a different way to look at it—now, whenever someone sees it, I want them to think of a Hero who can do anything!"

Uraraka stared at Midoriya's sign with glistening eyes. She'd had no idea that something she'd said to justify a cute nickname had impacted him so deeply. Now, it would be more than a nickname; it would be the name of a Hero.

_The Ultimate Hero: Deku_

…

The students were allowed a few minutes to talk amongst themselves. Midoriya tried not to blush when Uraraka gave him a quick hug, and failed miserably. Still, no one teased him, and even let him change the subject to the others' Hero names.

"Your name was awesome, Todoroki," he said to the boy in question. "But, um, no offense, I thought you wanted to be different from Endeavor?"

Todoroki shrugged. "It's like you said, back in the Sports Festival—it's my Quirk, my life, and I get to decide what to do with it. I decided that I want to be better than Endeavor; I want to be a great Hero not because _he _wants me to be, but because _I _want to be." His smile was tiny, but it was there. "Also, thanks for including me, before. I'm not used to having… friends."

Midoriya's smile was bright. "Trust me, you'll love it."

"Just don't give me a nickname."

"No promises if I come up with something cute," Ashido said. "Uraraka calls Midori 'Deku-kun', and it's adorable."

"I was wondering about that," Todoroki said. "I like the name, Midoriya."

"Thanks." Midoriya spotted their homeroom teacher climbing out of his sleeping bag. "I guess it's time to see who gave us those offers."

Aizawa started handing out sheets of paper to each student. Some received large stacks; Midoriya could barely see over his.

"You've got the rest of class and the weekend to look over your offers and select one," Aizawa said. "It would be a good idea to mark a few, in order of what you want; occasionally, agencies withdraw their offers at the last second, in case something comes up. Since that's a possibility, better to send in your choices sooner than later."

The offers were organized by their national rankings, from highest to lowest. The students with more than one page generally focused on the top pages, and excited exclamations began to echo through the room.

"Oh, cool!" Ashido held up her paper and waved it in Uraraka's face. The highest-ranking offer was already circled. "Look, I got an offer from Sky Dancer! She's in the top thirty!"

"Wow!" Uraraka shared a fist-bump with the other girl. "Hey, Deku-kun, what kind of offers did you get?" There was no answer. "Deku-kun?"

"HA!" Bakugo made the whole class jump as he leapt to his feet. "I got an offer from Best Jeanist! How do you like _that_, Deku? The Number Four Hero chose _me_! Deku? Hey!"

More and more people started to turn in Midoriya's direction. The boy was trembling in his seat as he stared at his top offer.

"Muh," he managed. "Uh."

Finally, he held out his paper, though not to anyone in particular. Todoroki was the one who took it, and when he read the top name, his eyes widened.

"Wow. Impressive."

Ashido gave him a look. "You don't shut down like that for an 'impressive'. Gimme that!" She snatched the paper from him; as soon as she read the name, she almost dropped it. "Holy crap! Midori, you got an offer from _Hawks_!"

The class went silent. Hawks. The Number Three Hero. His rise through the ranks had been nothing short of meteoric, and at only twenty-two years old, he was one of the youngest Heroes to make it into the top ten, and _the _youngest to make it into the top three.

Yaoyorozu briefly put her arm around Midoriya's shoulder in a sort of half-hug. "That's an incredible honor."

Midoriya nodded slowly. "Y-yeah… hey, did you get any interesting offers?"

"Yes, I was surprised by mine." Yaoyorozu held up her top page. "I received an offer from Ryukyu."

"Whoa, the number-nine Hero!? That's awesome!"

Uraraka was very careful not to let her smile fade. She was genuinely happy for all of her friends, but sometimes, seeing Yaoyorozu getting so close to Midoriya made her stomach twist into knots. She tried not to dwell on it; after all, Midoriya and Yaoyorozu were good friends, and she was good friends with both of them; she wasn't jealous or worrying that they might fall in love and forget all about her—

She was jolted out of her spiraling thoughts when Asui tapped her arm.

"So, Ochako, do any of your offers look good, ribbit?" Uraraka couldn't be sure, but she thought there was a knowing gleam in Asui's eyes.

"Uh, a few," she said. "I'll have to look up some of them, though."

Asui nodded. "Hey, Midoriya, can you help with that, ribbit? You probably know every name on her list."

Finally, Midoriya snapped out of the last of his stupor; if anything, he looked relieved. "Sure! I could probably help compare each agency's popularity with their notable achievements, so you can find the best balance of attention and work done."

Sero chuckled. "Because of course he would know that off the top of his head."

Yaoyorozu sat next to Todoroki. "Were there any offers that caught your eye?"

"A few," Todoroki admitted, "but most of these are probably because my father is Endeavor. Too bad for them, I'm taking an internship with him."

Midoriya's head snapped around so quickly he almost got whiplash. "What? Why?"

"Simple." Todoroki held up his left hand. "I've been neglecting how to use my flames. If I want to be a Hero, I need to be able to use both parts of my Quirk as well as possible, and Endeavor is _the _best fire-Quirk Hero out there."

Midoriya couldn't argue with that logic, and Todoroki _did _seem at ease with his decision, so he didn't try to fight it.

"I wonder who I should pick," he muttered.

Sero gave him the most incredulous face he'd ever seen. "Dude, why are you even asking? _Hawks _offered an internship! You take that and don't look back!"

"W-well, I still want to go through all the other offers!"

Ashido rolled her eyes. "You can look, but if you even think about accepting anyone else, I will… uh… darn it, I can't threaten someone so adorable! Ochako, pout at him or something."

Uraraka blushed, but then surprised everyone by tilting her head up at him, sticking out her lower lip, and giving the most pitiful expression any of them had ever seen.

"Come on, Deku-kun," she said. "Please?"

Midoriya, red-faced and sputtering, just circled Hawks' offer. "O-okay."

Ashido leaned over to Asui. "So, that was the cutest thing in the world, right?"

"Yep, ribbit."

"Okay, enough of that, you need to pick an internship, Froppy!"

"Well, since you already picked one, Alien Queen, maybe you can help me, ribbit."

"Sure thing." Ashido turned back to the resident Hero-expert. "Hey, Midori! After you help Ochako, help me help Tsu, okay?"

Midoriya had already pulled out a fresh notebook. "No problem!"

…

Unlike most students, Midoriya didn't get the entire weekend off. He came back on Saturday for his weekly training session with the Big Three, though before they started, there was a round of congratulations.

"That's so awesome, Izu-kun!" Hado held up her own bronze medal and grinned. "I'm just glad that I finally made it to the final round of a Sports Festival, but you won on your very first try!" She pouted in Amajiki's direction. "Maybe I could have made it to the finals if _someone _hadn't fought so hard in the semifinals against me."

Amajiki suddenly found the floor very interesting; unfortunately, he still got an eyeful of his silver medal. "I just wanted to prove that I could do well. I still lost to Mirio."

Now Hado pouted at the last member of the Big Three. "Yeah. Did you see him, Izu-kun? He practically walked through almost every part of the Sports Festival!"

Midoriya thought back to one fight, where Togata had phased through every defense his opponent had come up with. Togata had ended up naked, but he still won. "Literally, I think."

He still couldn't stop blushing every time Hado called him by her new nickname for him. He suspected that was why she used it in the first place.

Togata laughed. "Yeah, that new strength and speed made it a little unfair, huh?" He threw an arm around Amajiki's shoulders. "Sorry about that last punch, man, but you just kept getting back up! And that porcupine-crab combo almost had me at the end."

Amajiki failed to hide the embarrassed smile on his face. "Thanks. Anyway, Midoriya, you got your internship offers, right? Did you get any interesting ones?"

"Y-yeah!" Midoriya grinned. "From Hawks!"

The Big Three froze and stared at him.

…

Up in the observation room, Gran Torino made a noise that sounded like a surprised grunt. "Damn, that's impressive; most first-years don't get picked by Heroes in the top ten, unless I've missed something lately."

Nezu laughed. "Actually, Midoriya-san's class had plenty of offers from the best. Todoroki-san is interning with Endeavor, Bakugo-san was selected by Best Jeanist, Tokoyami-san was given an offer by Edgeshot, and Yaoyorozu-san…"

Nighteye raised an eyebrow when Nezu trailed off. "The girl who can create objects? Her planning and skill were evident. Who did she accept an offer from?"

"Ryukyu." Nezu shrugged when the three men blinked. "It seems the Dragoon Hero is taking on more interns lately."

"All of the students who made it into the final event had interesting offers," All Might added, and then looked down at the students wistfully. "Right now, I only have one regret about becoming a teacher and passing down One For All—that I can't take those four on as interns myself, or eventually bring them in as official Sidekicks. Could you imagine what we could accomplish as a team?"

All Might's former teacher and student allowed themselves to be lost in possibilities for a moment, until Nighteye shook his head.

"As idyllic as that sounds, that opportunity has passed. Now, it is Mirio's turn to shoulder the responsibility as the future Symbol of Peace. And all the others in his generation will be inspired to shine as brightly."

Nezu kept his thoughts on that matter to himself; while he appreciated All Might for all that he had done for society over the last three decades, there were some parts of the man's ideology that he disagreed with. In his opinion, the humans had become too dependent on All Might to save them; a single pillar could too easily fall if too much weight was placed on top of it. It was far safer to balance a load on multiple pillars. That was why he placed so much emphasis on his teachers to not let some students fall to the wayside in favor of those with powerful Quirks.

That was another reason why he had the Big Three training together as often as possible, and why he had included Midoriya. The Hero industry encouraged competition to improve individual growth, but there were times—suppressed by the government, but Nezu knew it happened—when Heroes placed their own success so far ahead of everything else that they sometimes sabotaged each other. In those times, criminals could escape, and innocent people would suffer. Nezu had seen those cracks start to widen in recent years, and hoped to create a better example with this generation.

He allowed himself to feel a tiny bit guilty for manipulating the students like that, but if it created strong bonds and promoted cooperation, he would bear it happily.

…

When Sunday came around, the Rising Stars—including their newest member—gathered at the Yaoyorozu home. Uraraka, Sero and Iida were the only ones who hadn't submitted their choice of internships, and everyone else wanted to make sure they were ready.

Midoriya had also asked Yaoyorozu for a favor, and she had gladly granted it.

"Okay, Deku-kun, I think I've made my choice." Uraraka held out one of her papers. "The Battle Hero: Gunhead!"

Midoriya's eyes sparkled, and he pulled out a notebook, one of twenty he'd brought with him in his backpack. "That's a great choice! He might only be in the top forty, but he has a flawless record when it comes to combat-related missions. He's also one of the best freeform martial artists in Japan, and has commendations from a dozen police precincts!"

Uraraka blinked and leaned against him to get a better look at his notebook. "Wait, really? I looked him up and I know he's good, but wow!"

"Yeah, the only reason he isn't higher on the rankings is because he's more about working with the police than doing much advertising." Midoriya flipped a page. "Oh, and his Quirk is called Gatling; he has gun-like organs on his arms that can fire keratin bullets, but they're more effective at closer range. Since you both have Quirks that require you to get closer, he'll be a great teacher."

"Wait, I thought you wanted to be a Rescue Hero, like Thirteen?" Sero idly scratched at his scar. "Why would you want to sign on with a Battle Hero?"

Uraraka shrugged. "Between the USJ and the Sports Festival, I know that I'm just not that good at fighting right now. Even if I want to focus on rescuing people, I'll probably have to fight someone at some point. I'd rather I actually win when that happens."

"An excellent idea, Ochako!" Iida started chopping at the air excitedly. "It is always wise to improve on your weaknesses."

"I don't suppose you have a notebook on Ryukyu?" Yaoyorozu asked. "There is plenty of information on her that is publically available, but you might know something that most don't."

"Sure thing." Uraraka had grabbed the arm holding the notebook with Gunhead's information to hold it steady, so Midoriya used his other hand to rifle through his backpack and found the right notebook. "Here you go."

Everyone briefly shared knowing smiles; Midoriya was a bit red-faced, but he hadn't tried to free his arm. Uraraka, on the other hand, didn't seem to realize what she was doing at all.

"What about you, Hanta?" Asui grabbed Sero's papers, and then fended off his hands with her tongue when he tried to take them back. "Did you decide on anyone yet, ribbit?"

"Well, I want to focus on Heroes that specialize in mobility," he said, even as he tried to get around Asui's tongue. "Air Jet is on that list."

"Wait, what!?" Midoriya's head snapped around to look at him. "I'm a huge fan of Air Jet! His Agency used to be in my neighborhood, before he moved! I wish you'd told me about this earlier, I have an entire notebook on him."

Sero grinned. "Sorry, dude; I didn't even consider him at all until last night. Do you think you could email me those notes?"

"It'll have to be kind of late, but I can do it."

"Huh." Todoroki tapped his chin. "I think Endeavor worked with Air Jet a few days ago. Something about a drug bust. If it helps, I could probably get any recent news about him."

Sero held out one hand for a high-five, which was tentatively returned. "That is so cool! Okay, I'm definitely signing on with him."

"All of your choices are pretty inland, ribbit." Asui was as close to pouting as anyone had ever seen. "I chose Selkie for my internship, and he works off the coast. I mean, I figured we wouldn't see each other during the internships, but I guess I'm so used to spending time with you all, ribbit."

"Don't worry," Ashido said, and hugged Asui. "See, they have these awesome inventions called 'cell phones'. We can even video-call!"

Asui ducked her head. "Right. Sorry." She noticed that Sero was staring at her, and she smirked. "Ribbit."

Sero, slowly and deliberately, put his head in his hands.

Todoroki shifted closer to Yaoyorozu. "Is this sort of thing… normal? I don't want to assume."

Yaoyorozu smiled, but didn't look up from her reading. "Mina isn't teasing anyone about potential romance, so this is actually quite mild."

Todoroki glanced at Midoriya and Uraraka, who were back to reading the notes on Gunhead and talking quietly. "What about—"

"I'm fairly certain that they either haven't recognized their feelings, or are too afraid to say anything yet." Her smile turned a tiny bit mischievous. "Besides, if something _does _happen between them, it will absolutely adorable."

_I'm starting to wonder if everyone here is a little bit crazy, _Todoroki thought. _Still, everyone is being so open. It's… nice._

"What about you, Tenya?" Yaoyorozu asked. "Have you chosen an agency?"

Iida nodded. "I was originally going to choose my brother's agency, but that will not happen now, for obvious reasons. Instead, I believe that I will accept the invitation from Manual."

Midoriya perked up. "The Normal Hero? He's a great choice. Lots of people like him because he's so approachable. His agency is in… wait… his agency is in _Hosu_."

Everyone paused and turned towards Iida. Even Todoroki, who had only found out about the attack on Ingenium through the news, looked concerned.

"Tenya, dude." Sero grabbed the other boy by the shoulder. "Please tell me you aren't going to do something stupid."

Ashido bit her lip. "Yeah, I know that your brother was hurt, but you aren't planning on picking a fight with the Hero Killer, are you?"

Iida was quiet for a worryingly long time before answering. "I… do not know. My brother would not approve, nor would my parents—"

"And _we_ certainly do not!" Yaoyorozu cut in; for the first time, she looked genuinely angry, and looked ready to throttle Iida. "Tenya, you are one of the most responsible people I know; chasing after someone who has maimed and killed dozens of Heroes is a horrible idea!"

Iida leaned back in his chair. "I know, but…" he looked down at his hands, and then back up at them with anguish in his eyes. "I'm just so _angry_! Stain hurt my brother, the person I respect more than anyone else, a Hero who has done nothing but help others! And it was only luck that kept him from being permanently crippled! How should I act?"

To everyone's surprise, it was Todoroki who responded first. "I know how you _shouldn't_—you shouldn't bottle up all that anger. Believe me, I've spent years doing that, and it didn't go well. Try to find some way to release that anger that isn't going to send you into a death match with a serial killer."

"That… is sound advice," Iida admitted. "But I fear that I will not have any sort of closure until the Hero Killer is behind bars."

"And you want to be the one who puts him there," Todoroki guessed. When Iida nodded, he sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "If I tell you guys something, can you promise not to spread it around?" Everyone nodded, so he continued. "I spoke to my old man about my internship with him. Apparently, we're going to Hosu for that week; it looks like Endeavor wants to be involved with hunting down the Hero Killer. Endeavor may be a bastard, but he's good at his job; if he finds Stain, I'm sure he'll stop him."

"Hosu will be on high alert after Stain's attack on Ingenium," Midoriya added. "Heroes from all over will flood the streets to find him, and each attack has drawn a bigger manhunt. He _will _get caught, Tenya."

By now, confronted with one logical reasoning after another, Iida started to relax. "I still want to intern with Manual. At the very least, it is my duty to pick up where Ingenium left off and help keep Hosu safe."

"Just don't forget that you won't be alone out there," Yaoyorozu said kindly. "Heroes and the police will be doing everything they can to bring Stain to justice."

Finally, Iida smiled; there was pain and frustration there, but it was no longer overwhelming. "Thank you."

With that, the tension dropped, and Uraraka let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "Please, Tenya, remember that we're here for you. If you need anything, we'll be there. Right, everyone?"

"Heck yeah!" Ashido jumped over to Iida and hugged him. "Us Rising Stars have to stick together!"

"We'd be a terrible constellation if we fell apart," Sero added, and got a high-five from Ashido for the joke.

Yaoyorozu smiled at everyone and clapped her hands together. "Say, why don't we take a break for now? Izuku and I have a surprise for you all."

Eager to leave the dreariness behind them, they followed Yaoyorozu to another part of the mansion—specifically, the in-home theater. It looked just like a regular movie theater, but instead of individual seats, there were several large couches.

"We don't have too much time before everyone needs to go home," Yaoyorozu continued, "but there's still enough time left to watch the first movie."

Uraraka looked at the tall girl, and then at Midoriya, who was smiling. "First movie of what?"

"The longest connecting cinematic universe ever!" Midoriya said, and then shared a fist-bump with Sero, who had figured out what was happening.

"I'll set up the movie, and have snacks brought in." Yaoyorozu headed over to a projector in the back. "I hope you enjoy Iron Man!"

By the time the movie was over, Uraraka was sure of two things. First, that Midoriya and Yaoyorozu were both secretly huge movie nerds.

Second, she needed to speak with the Support Department about adding thrusters to her costume.

…

In the shadows of Hosu City, a man crouched on a rooftop, looking down at the streets below. His black clothes were rugged and worn, while his white mask and red scarf were dirty and more than a little ragged. He had more than a dozen knives strapped to his body, and a jagged katana slung over his back.

To the casual observer, he looked like trouble; to anyone who knew who he was, they had a good reason to turn around and pretend they never saw him.

Stain brushed his unkempt hair out of his eyes, which focused on the tiny figures moving around on the streets. He knew his time in Hosu was limited; every time he made a move, more and more Heroes flocked to his latest hunting ground to find him.

He sneered; so far, none of the people he'd attacked deserved to call themselves heroes. Those who were misguided or unfit for the role, he left alive, but unable to tarnish society further. The ones who were little more than glory-hounds had a much more severe punishment in store.

Stain shifted his sword to a more comfortable position, and then leapt to another rooftop. The night was young, and there were so many opportunities in store.

**All right, here we go! Gearing up for the Stain Arc! I'm not sure how long this one will last, considering my Sports Festival arc was a lot shorter than canon. Don't worry, I have some original content planned out; sort of a half-arc, I guess.**

**So, a few things I want to address about some name changes. Todoroki wants to be a better Hero than his father, but for healthier reasons, which is why his name is an evolution of Endeavor; hence, Triumph. Yaoyorozu always struck me as a refined character, so something less childlike than Creati felt right. As for Iida… he kind of explained it, so I won't repeat it. I just looked up Latin words that I thought fit him. And I let Ashido keep her original name choice, because Alien Queen is an awesome name. As for Bakugo… eh, a lot of people like to give him the name Ground Zero. If he had been a major focus of this story, I might have looked for something more original, but this story is more focused on the Rising Stars.**

**And then there's Midoriya. Look, he was always going to be Deku in this story, and I'm a fan of people using their painful past to become stronger.**

**Anyway, yeah. I'm introducing Hawks as Midoriya's mentor, because Hawks is awesome. I don't need more of a reason. Yes, this means that I sent Tokoyami to Edgeshot instead, but that matchup felt natural. And I created Sky Dancer to be Ashido's mentor, because there are literally thousands of Heroes, and there's nothing in canon about who she interned with. You'll see more of her later. Also, yes, I had Yaoyorozu intern with Ryukyu, because I want her to actually do something useful, not star in a commercial.**

**Finally… yeah, I've decided that Marvel exists in this universe, but only as comics, movies, etc. Midoriya can have one more thing to geek out over.**

**As always, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. It is available as a PDF on my website (link in my profile), and on Amazon as both an eBook and physical copy. Sales help get me noticed, and you get something to read; it's a win for us all!**

**If you want to be a more permanent supporter, you can also donate on P-atreon (link in my profile). Every dollar donated is one less I have to worry about paying for a place to live, so please help me not be homeless, especially with all that's happening in the world right now!**

**And here's a big thank-you to my loyal patrons:**

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**Next Chapter: The Rising Stars meet their mentors, and a Hero Killer walks into a bar…**

**Plus Muffin!**


	15. Teachers and Students

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I'VE DISCOVERED THAT HITTING MY HEAD AGAINST A WALL DOES NOT UNLOCK LATENT PSYCHIC POWERS. IT JUST CAUSES HEADACHES.**

**Sorry, this one was released later than I would have liked, but here's the reason:**

**Me: Okay, family and pets, no one is allowed to need the doctor or vet until the pandemic is over.**

**Dog: Hey, look, I broke my foot!**

**So I've been keeping watch over her for a while to make sure she stays put and heals up. That makes writing difficult, because she's a high-energy dog.**

**Anyway, here's a chapter! The new arc is starting, which means a new intro! Hit it!**

_(Sora ni Utaeba—Amazarashi, TV version)_

_The music starts, and Midoriya steps out of a door and into the light. He's wearing his costume, and he looks out over a city. He turns and looks up to see Hawks, Endeavor and All Might, each standing on the roof of a building. Midoriya smiles and turns away, while Ben appears next to him; Midoriya slams his hand down on the Ultimatrix, just as the title appears._

_The scene changes to show some of the Rising Stars in their costumes—Uraraka throwing a punch with a determined expression, Sero swinging through the skyline of a city, Ashido grinning as she spins around with acid splashing off her hands, Asui diving into the ocean, and Yaoyorozu with her arms glowing from her Quirk._

_Todoroki appears next in his new costume; he looks up into Endeavor's eyes, and then turns his back on him and walks toward the silhouettes of his friends. Then there is Iida, who leaves the hospital where Tensei is resting; he is in costume, but his helmet is at his side. There is a close-up of his eye, where the reflection of the Hero Killer can be seen._

_Stain then goes from a reflected image to the real thing as he whirls around and swings his sword. It's blocked by Diamondhead, and then Todoroki steps around him and unleashes a wave of fire. Iida's boosters glow as he rushes forward; the glow encompasses the entire screen, and then the scene changes as the light fades to a man's hand over white sheets. The hand is unnaturally pale, and tears fall on it from above. The scene shifts to show Midoriya standing in a doorway; he and Ben are staring at something in horror, until Midoriya holds out his hand. Behind him, Ben flickers in and out of place._

_The intro comes to an end with Midoriya surrounded by shadowy figures looming over him, and he raises the Ultimatrix high._

My Alien Academia

Chapter 15

Teachers and Students

"All right, everyone, listen up." Aizawa looked as tired as ever, but no one thought for a second that he wouldn't notice any fooling around. "You've all been given your train tickets to where you'll be interning. As soon as you get there, text me that you've arrived safely; I know when all of you are supposed to get off your trains, and if I don't hear from you within an hour after that, I _will _call the police. Understood?"

"Yes, Aizawa-sensei!" Class 1-A chorused—no one was willing to make a joke about something so serious.

It was Tuesday, the day after every internship selection had been submitted. No one had been rejected by their first choices at the last second, but it was only now that it was starting to sink in—they were so close to being Pro Heroes!

"Also, you've all been given your costumes and Support Items, but you will _only _wear them with your mentors' permission. This is a gesture of trust, so don't betray it."

Midoriya looked down at the case that held his costume; he really only needed the Ultimatrix, and that was stuck to his arm, but the responsibility still weighed heavily on him.

"Okay, the trains are starting to pull in." Aizawa looked at his phone. "I'll stay here until you're all off. Work hard, and listen to everything your mentor has to say. Don't waste this opportunity."

Some of the class broke off quickly to get to their trains, while others waited. Through some twist of fate, the Rising Stars all had to wait an extra few minutes.

"Good luck, everyone," Midoriya said nervously.

"You too, Midori!" Ashido hugged him with one arm, while nearly giving Sero a concussion as she waved her costume case around with the other. "Don't do anything crazy without us, okay?"

"Oh, so we can act crazy as long as we're all together?" Sero grinned. "Good to know."

Ashido looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, Yaomomo and Midori are the ones responsible for the class, so I guess _they _have to stay all in charge and stuff. The rest of us can go nuts."

Yaoyorozu rolled her eyes. "That explains so much. Your train is pulling in, though."

"See? This is why I can goof off while you're around." Ashido winked at her, and then dashed to her train, waving back as she ran. "See you guys in a week! Love you!"

"Hey, Iida?" Midoriya waited until his friend was looking straight at him. "Remember what we talked about on Sunday, right?"

Iida nodded. "I promise not to do anything reckless. And if I need to talk, I know I can reach out to any of you."

"That's good to hear." Midoriya spotted another train pulling in. "That one's mine. See you guys on Monday."

"Have fun, Deku-kun!" Uraraka gave him a quick hug. "We'll do our best to get those autographs for you."

Midoriya blushed; yesterday, in a fit of Hero-enthusiasm, he had asked his friends if they could bring back autographs from their mentors.

"Th-thanks." Midoriya hugged her back, and then headed for his train. "Bye!"

As he sat down in a free seat, he noticed more than a few other passengers sneaking glances at him and whispering. Between his 'Quirk' and winning the Sports Festival, he had been receiving plenty of attention; at least no one was crowding around him, like they had on his ride to school for the last two days.

He had just started to get comfortable when his phone buzzed, and Ben appeared next to him. "Okay, if it's Uraraka again, you might as well just ask her out. You two are practically dating already."

Midoriya turned to the window to hide his blush, not that it mattered to Ben; he could see everything from the Ultimatrix, the hologram was just for show. The worst part was that he couldn't argue with Ben, since it would look like he was talking to the empty air.

It had nothing to do with the fact that Midoriya _did _have a tiny crush on Uraraka, really.

To distract himself, he opened up his phone; to his simultaneous relief and disappointment, it wasn't Uraraka, but his other messenger group—Big Three Plus One. The three other avatars were a star, a firefly, and a cartoon stomach.

Star: Hey, Freshman! You on your way to Hawks' agency? Which one is it?

As a Hero capable of reaching almost anywhere in Japan relatively quickly, Hawks had buildings in most major cities, though his primary Agency was in Kyushu. Midoriya had been told which one to go to, though he had memorized each location anyway.

All Might: The one in Tokyo. And I just got on the train.

Firefly: Good luck, Izu-kun!

All Might: Thanks, Nejire.

Stomach: I don't think I could handle interning under any Hero in the top 10. I feel queasy just imagining it.

All Might: I think I'm nervous enough, Tamaki.

Firefly: Aw, I wish I could give you a big hug to calm you down, flying buddy! Wait, would that cute friend of yours with the brown hair get jealous? Are you two dating? I need a boyfriend so we can go on a double-date!

By this point, Midoriya's face had gotten so hot that he wondered if he would spontaneously turn into Heatblast. Ben just read the texts and laughed.

…

The Hawks Agency Tokyo Branch could have easily been mistaken for any other twenty-story building, if it hadn't had the Hero's name over the door, framed by a pair of red wings. It was almost humble—again, if it wasn't twenty stories tall.

"He has more than one of these?" Ben asked, a little incredulously.

"This one is the biggest," Midoriya said quietly. "I think most of it is housing for people who have to spend a few days in the city on business."

"So… it's a hotel?"

"Kind of." Midoriya swallowed nervously. "I guess I should go in."

"It's either that, or you stand outside for a week." Ben made a shooing motion. "Hurry up! I want to see this!"

Midoriya stepped through the door, and his first thought was that Ben was right; it could have been mistaken for a hotel lobby. At the center was a desk, behind which was a young woman with short brown hair and a kind smile.

"Hello!" she called out, and waved him over. "Are you Midoriya Izuku, by chance?"

"Y-yes, ma'am." Midoriya bowed.

"Oh, please don't call me that." The woman made a face. "It makes me feel old. I'm Takeda Yuki; I work the front desk, and sometimes help out Hawks in the field."

Midoriya blinked. "Oh! Y-you're one of his Sidekicks, Takeda-san?"

"For almost a year!" Takeda smiled proudly. "Please, follow me to Hawks' office; he's expecting you." She led him to an elevator and waited until it closed before speaking. "So, the winner of the Sports Festival, huh? I'll bet that was something; I went to Ketsubutsu, so we didn't do anything like that."

"Y-yeah, it was… something." Midoriya scratched his head and looked away.

Takeda giggled. "You're adorable, Midoriya-kun, but that only gets you so far. Girls like a bit of confidence." Her giggle turned into a full-blown laugh when Midoriya blushed and tried to cover up his face. "Oh, you're going to be so much fun! Too bad I'm on the clock, so I need to tell you the basics.

"Hawks bought this building, but only remodeled the top four floors. It was expensive, but he made it all back pretty quickly with all the people who stay here; it's also a good buffer to keep out his fans."

"Why did he buy such a tall building?"

Takeda laughed again. "He likes to joke that it's so he can look all dramatic by standing on the roof as the sun comes out, but I think it's because of his Quirk. He's got more bird-mannerisms than you'd think.

"Back on track, the actual agency part of the building has rooms for employees and work-related guests, like you, a training area, and areas for Hero-related business. Sometimes, clients need a bit of privacy, so Hawks even had one room soundproofed. Oh, about your room; don't unpack just yet. Hawks goes all over the country, so it's possible that he just wanted to impress you before taking you to where you'll actually do your internship."

Ben, leaning against the wall next to Midoriya, raised an eyebrow. "Consider _me _impressed."

Midoriya coughed to hide a laugh. "W-well, I don't think he'll have to try much harder to impress me."

The elevator dinged, and then the doors opened to… not what Midoriya was expecting at all. Instead of a traditional office or professional workplace, there were a few beanbag chairs scattered around, a television in the corner, and a small desk that held a computer. The room had only a single occupant, who had his back turned; he looked out through the tinted windows that made up one wall. His arms were crossed, and he had an aura that suggested he didn't want to be disturbed.

Takeda, however, did just that. "Hey, boss! Quit acting all broody, I know you're faking."

Hawks immediately slumped and turned around. "Aw, c'mon, Yuki! I was trying to look all awesome for the new intern."

Takeda rolled her eyes. "The kid's already a bundle of nerves, you're just going to make it worse."

The Number Three Hero in Japan pouted—actually _pouted_, like he was a little kid. "Why do you have to spoil my fun?"

"Because I don't get paid enough to put up with your nonsense," Takeda replied, and then smiled at Midoriya, who had absolutely no idea how to react to any of this. "Don't worry, this is normal. I have to go back to the lobby, but don't be afraid to smack this idiot on the head if he does something stupid. I do it all the time."

As soon as she left, Hawks straightened up and chuckled. "She acts like I don't know what I'm doing, but she means well, and I love having a Sidekick who isn't afraid to call me out on something."

"Uh…"

Hawks was nothing like he expected so far. He _looked _the same—only a few inches taller than Midoriya, with messy blonde hair and stubble on his chin. He wore a costume that looked like a stylized aviator's outfit, with a beige-yellow jacket and pants, a black shirt, a yellow-tinted visor of his eyes, and yellow headphones that fit securely over his ears.

What really stood out, and what gave the Winged Hero his moniker, were his enormous wings. Furled against his back, they looked small, but the red wings were more than strong enough to carry him effortlessly through the air.

Hawks gave an easy smile and held out his hand. "Hey, there; nice to meet you."

Midoriya tentatively shook his hand. "N-nice t-to m-meet you too?"

"Sorry, kinda figured you needed an easier greeting after that little snafu." Hawks gestured to one of the beanbag chairs. "Take a seat, okay? Just give me a sec; I actually _was_ in the middle of something before I decided to mess with you."

While Midoriya sat down and tried to process everything he had just seen, Hawks turned to his computer. Rather than actually walk over to it, he just raised an eyebrow; two of his feathers detached from his wings and shot over to the keyboard, and then started pressing keys. A moment later, an email was sent.

"I probably don't need to do that," Hawks admitted as the feathers rejoined the others on his back, "but I'm so used to practicing my control with that part of my Quirk that I never broke the habit."

"It's an amazing Quirk, though," Midoriya said with genuine interest.

"Impressed, but not surprised." Hawks smirked. "I'm guessing you did your research before coming here?"

Midoriya blushed. "A-actually, I learned about you before even starting at UA. Heroes and Quirks are a hobby of mine."

Hawks grinned. "Okay, how much do you know?"

"Each feather is capable of holding a surprising amount of weight, though the larger feathers can hold a lot more, and they're all pretty durable," Midoriya immediately said, like he was reading the information in front of him. "They die pretty quickly if you don't reattach them to your wings, and once they do, you can't control them. They regenerate over time, and you can go from no feathers at all to completely full in four days."

Hawks had looked amused before, but now he was staring. "I can't decide whether I should be impressed or a little freaked out. How do you know about the four days? That's not something I've advertised."

"I, uh, did the math," Midoriya admitted.

"Okay, I'll go with impressed." Hawks smiled again. "So, Midoriya, you ready for the big leagues?"

Midoriya grinned back. "Yes, sir!"

…

Ashido couldn't keep the grin off her face if she wanted to. Sky Dancer was unlikely to ever get much higher in the rankings, but she was _awesome_. Her Agency was also a dance studio, one that looked like it came right out of the 1980s, complete with neon colors and loud music.

Sky Dancer herself looked like she had taken the same look and modernized it. Her outfit was a mix of a purple bodysuit with green sleeves and carbon-fiber armor on her forearms and calves. She also had a bright pink mask that rose up enough to look like a headband. She had pink hair and a wide smile—if not for the lack of horns, normal skin and normal eyes, she could have passed for Ashido's sister.

"Hey, there!" Sky Dancer finished an impressive routine of flips and kicks, then caught a water bottle tossed to her by an employee without looking—a skill Ashido _really _wanted to learn. "You're Ashido Mina, right? Welcome to my Agency!"

"Hi!" Ashido bowed, but couldn't stop trembling with excitement. "It's great to be here!"

"I'll bet! Hey, why don't you use one of our changing rooms and get into costume? I like to run my interns through their paces a bit on their first day. Watching your routine on TV is great and all, but a performance looks so much better when you see it with your own eyes."

Ashido was starting to like this woman. She quickly changed, and when she stepped back into the studio, Sky Dancer laughed.

"Okay, I had no idea we had similar costume colors! This has to be, like, fate or something." She turned to another employee and snapped her fingers twice; it was obviously a signal of some kind, because a high-energy beat started to play from the speakers. "Show me what you've got, kid! Let's throw down!"

Ashido tilted her head. "What, are we gonna fight? Now?"

"Kind of." Sky Dancer skipped into the air, but didn't come back down. Her Quirk, as described to Ashido by Midoriya, was called Sky Step; simply put, it let Sky Dancer stay airborne as long as she kept up some momentum. "We're not gonna really fight, I just want to get a handle on your moves. No acid, though; I just got the floors waxed. All I want you to do is try to tag me, and try not to get tagged by me. You picking up what I'm putting down?"

Ashido's face started to hurt from all the smiling, but she quickly went into a series of stretches. "Oh, I'm ready!"

…

"Always keep an eye on your surroundings," Air Jet instructed as he flew alongside his student. "Every swing that takes you below a traffic light is a risk of startling a driver. That means a potential accident; maybe the driver gets hurt, maybe a pedestrian, or maybe even you."

"Yes, sir!" Cellophane swung from a light pole, making sure to stay high enough to not accidentally kick someone on the street, but low enough to get enough swing for his next leap.

After a brief introduction, Cellophane's mentor immediately brought him out on patrol; he took his schedule very seriously, but knew how to incorporate lessons for the intern. Air Jet was stern, but not inflexible, and he was quick to see his intern's strengths and weaknesses. Today, he was focusing on training Cellophane's situational awareness; it was far more intensive than the student had expected. However, it involved fieldwork, and that was fun.

And if he happened to learn a thing or two, then that was even better.

_I hope the others are having as great a time, _he thought.

…

"So, I have a question for you," Hawks said as Midoriya, now in his costume, stepped into the sparring room. "What are the two biggest weaknesses shared by all Heroes?"

That brought Midoriya up short. "I… don't know. I'm sorry, Hawks-sensei."

"Just call me Hawks, I'm too young to be called 'sensei' by anyone." Hawks idly stretched out his wings. "Anyway, the two weaknesses are this: reaction instead of action, and specialization.

"For the first part, it's simple—everything we do as Heroes is in reaction to something else. We can't stop a natural disaster before it starts, and we can't stop Villains from trying to commit crimes. We almost always get somewhere after the trouble has started; if we're really lucky, we'll get there _as _it starts. Those precious minutes or seconds before and after a Hero arrives could mean the difference between life and death. Heroes with high speeds, like me, can usually cut that time down by getting somewhere fast enough, but not always.

"For the second part, it's a little more complicated. See, a lot of Heroes' Quirks make them really good for certain situations, but lousy for others. Take Endeavor, for example; that guy is insanely strong, but you'll never see him working during a rainy day." Hawks chuckled. "I'm not a fan of rain, either; it weighs down my feathers, slows my speed, and you do _not _want to know what wet bird smells like. Anyway, almost every Hero has their niche; even All Might, amazing as he is, won't be called in for a stealth mission."

"That makes sense," Midoriya said as he jotted all that down in his notebook; Hawks spoke quickly, but Midoriya was able to keep up.

"Thanks, I spent all morning making sure it wasn't complicated." Hawks paused. "Wait, have you been taking notes this whole time?"

Midoriya looked up from his notebook. "Y-yes? Sorry, it's a habit."

Hawks chuckled. "You're going to be fun to work with. Moving on, you have the speed to minimize the first point, and the versatility to make my second point a non-issue. I only saw a few of your transformations during the Sports Festival, but your principal was kind enough to send me a file on each one that you've discovered." A feather detached and hovered over the Ultimatrix. "That watch is sorting through your Quirk, right? To give you new forms?"

"Um, yes," Midoriya said. "I'm not sure what I'll get, but when I transform, I do get an instinctive sense of how to use its abilities."

Hawks shook his head ruefully. "That is so cool. All right, I want you to turn into something, and we'll have a quick spar."

Midoriya blinked. "Really?"

"Yeah, just don't set the room on fire or use that earthquake one, okay?" Hawks' tone was joking, but Midoriya took him seriously.

"Okay." Comparing what he knew of Hawks' Quirk with his aliens, Midoriya made his choice; he was about to press the dial, but a feather flew up and slapped his hand away. "Ow!"

"You took too long," Hawks said, and the feather in front of Midoriya wagged like a disapproving finger. "You spend that much time in the field just thinking of what you're going to do, and the bad guy gets away, or a bystander bleeds out. You need to have each move honed to a razor's edge, to think and act at the same time."

Midoriya nodded; that was something he still had trouble with. "I've been working on that."

"Well, keep at it; I can tell you're a bright kid, but you've got to bridge the gap between theory and application." Hawks' feather started to orbit around Midoriya's head. "Try again. This time, I'll give you three seconds."

Midoriya didn't wait for Hawks to give him the go-ahead; he figured the man wouldn't give him one anyway. He slammed his hand on the dial, and vanished in a flash of green light.

"BRAINSTORM!"

Hawks raised an eyebrow. "I read about this one. Grants super-intelligence and electricity, right?"

The man-sized orange crab brushed off an imaginary speck of dirt with one thin pincer, then regarded the Hero with big eyes, set in an even bigger head.

"Indeed," Brainstorm said in a cultured voice, "my intellect is almost certainly greater than that of any creature on Earth."

"You saying you're smarter because your head is bigger?"

"No, I am smarter because my _brain _is bigger."

A dozen more feathers joined the first. "Then show me what you've got!"

…

"Ohmigosh, no way!" Hado practically tackled Yaoyorozu off her feet when the younger girl entered the Ryukyu Agency. "I didn't know one of Izu-kun's friends was interning here! That's so cool!"

Yaoyorozu tentatively returned the hug. _And I didn't know one of the Big Three would be here. Also, she called Izuku 'Izu-kun'? When did that happen?_

"All right, Nejire, calm down," a woman's voice called out. "I'd like to meet my new intern while she can still breathe."

Yaoyorozu had seen pictures and videos of the Dragoon Hero before, but it was another thing entirely to be in her presence. She was beautiful, with a dark red dress accented by yellow slashes, white sleeves that exposed her shoulders and hands, and elegant—but still sturdy—boots. Her short blonde hair was kept out of her face by a green headband, while most of the right side of her face was covered by a set of four metallic claws. On the back of her head was an ornament made to look like dragon wings.

"Welcome to my Agency, Yaoyorozu-san," Ryukyu said with a smile and a bow. "Nejire can show you where you'll be staying; please, make yourself at home."

"Thank you for giving me such an opportunity," Yaoyorozu said, and bowed back. "It is such an honor."

Ryukyu actually looked a little embarrassed. "You're pouring it on a little thick; please, I didn't offer an internship to be fawned over. I get that enough from my fans."

Hado giggled. "Better them than the press." She winked at Yaoyorozu. "The nasty ones don't get close anymore after Ryukyu threatened to eat one of them."

"That was two years ago, and _he _was so obsessed with his smear campaign that he threatened to stab someone unless he got an interview!" If anything, Ryukyu looked even more embarrassed. "Can we please get back on track?"

Yaoyorozu held up a hand. "Um, may I ask a question?"

"Sure thing," Ryukyu said with no small amount of relief.

"Why _did _you offer me an internship? I know that I did fairly well in the Sports Festival, but…"

"That's part of it," Ryukyu admitted, and there was a look of pain in her uncovered eye that sobered even Hado. "There's another, though. I watched your matches in the final event, and I saw some of the reactions to your attire.

"I know that it has to do with your Quirk, but female Heroes are often under intense scrutiny, both by fans and the press. I've seen more than a few attractive female Heroes quit the business or develop unhealthy mindsets because of unsavory comments. When I first started out, I nearly quit because of those people, but I pushed through the pain their words caused. Now, I want to help young women like you become as good as possible, and help you develop a thicker skin in the process."

Yaoyorozu was honestly a little shocked by Ryukyu's frank response; however, she wasn't as surprised as the older woman might have thought. Ever since she hit puberty, she'd been the target of leering men and jealous women; most of it was just looks, but there was always the occasional comment, and in the beginning, it had made her want to curl up in a ball and disappear.

Thankfully, her parents had caught onto her distress early. The self-defense lessons had helped to teach her how to keep herself physically safe, but it had also built up her self-confidence; now, if someone gave her a dirty look or said something perverted, she could ignore it easily, because she knew she could probably break the offender's arms in six different ways.

And that was before using her Quirk. With that, the possibilities were almost limitless.

Instead of saying any of that, however, she just bowed. "Thank you for the explanation. I look forward to learning everything I can from you."

Ryukyu shared a surprised glance with Hado, and then smiled. "Most girls would be more nervous after all that; in fact, Nejire is the only other intern I've had who didn't turn to the door after I give that speech. I think you'll fit right in here."

Yaoyorozu smiled back.

…

Hawks was quietly impressed; while his new intern's initial start to their spar had been rocky, his performance now was fantastic.

It seemed that Midoriya had taken his lecture to heart; at first, he had shot away Hawks' attacking feathers with bolts of electricity—by opening up the shell on his head and exposing his brain, which was a little unsettling. Hawks upped his speed and added another dozen feathers; in response, Midoriya—or did he prefer to go by his form's name now?—surrounded himself in a bubble of electricity.

"Going defensive won't help you in this fight," Hawks taunted, only to realize that Brainstorm wasn't just hiding behind a shield. He had been slowly extending a field of electricity along the floor, inching towards Hawks' feet. "Nice try, kid!"

Hawks fully extended his wings and rose up to the ceiling; he crossed his arms and looked down at his intern.

"Okay, I've avoided your trap, and now I have all the time in the world to attack you," he said. "What's your next play?"

"If you must know, I have already calculated fifty-nine ways of defeating you," Brainstorm replied. "Granted, fourteen of them would result in massive property damage, and two of them are certainly lethal."

"All right, so which one will you use?" Hawks had a few ideas; Brainstorm wasn't the first person who could manipulate electricity that he'd fought, though he was probably the smartest.

"None of them," Brainstorm said smugly. "You've fallen for my distraction!"

No, Hawks hadn't; he'd seen the electricity crawling up the walls and along the ceiling, effectively boxing him in. However, Brainstorm had been so focused on setting up his trap that he'd let his defenses slip. His smirk never leaving his face, Hawks detached more feathers and spun them in a tight cone, almost like a drill, and then hurled it at Brainstorm; the suddenness of the attack punched through his shield and slammed him into the far wall.

"Let's call it here, kid," Hawks said as the electricity faded. "This was just a warmup; I don't want you straining yourself and being too tired for tomorrow night."

Midoriya turned back to normal and rubbed his sore chest as he stood up. "What are we doing tomorrow night?"

"The same thing we do every night, Pinky—try to take over the world!" Hawks laughed, but then he sighed when all Midoriya did was give him a blank stare. "Okay, so you didn't get that reference. Damn."

"S-sorry?"

"Nah, it's fine." Hawks waved him off. "Anyway, what we're actually doing is heading out to Hosu."

Never let it be said that Midoriya couldn't put the pieces together. "You mean—"

"Oh, yeah." Hawks' smile turned grim. "The word's out, and Heroes from all over are coming in to bring the hammer down. The Hero Killer isn't getting away this time."

…

That night, Midoriya was having trouble sleeping. Not only was he thinking about actively searching for—or at least helping Hawks search for—the Hero Killer, his mentor's lecture on a Hero's weaknesses was still fresh in his mind.

Finally, he gave up on just staring at the ceiling and brought out his phone.

All Might: Is anyone else awake?

Comet: I am. Hi, Deku-kun, what's up?

All Might: I can't sleep. Hawks gave me a lot to think about.

Crayon: zzzzz

Crayon: jk, im awake. Im tird, but I had so much fun with Sky Dancer

Comet: Looks like it's just us three. Everyone else must be asleep.

Crayon: Midori gets us all 2 himself, lol hes so luky

Comet: Stop being mean, Mina. Hey, did you guys finish the homework we have to do over the inershsi

Comet: Sorry, trying to figure out these math problems at the same time, brain got fried for a sec.

All Might: Kaminari! Give Ochako back her phone!

Crayon: LOL, hes making jokes!

All Might: Hawks keeps trying to be funny. Key word being 'trying'. I thought I'd do better.

Comet: So, what's it like at his agency?

All Might: It's… kind of weird. It's like he's trying too hard to be normal. Maybe he doesn't like all the attention?

All Might: Or maybe he's just awkward around students, and I'm reading into it too much.

All Might: How about you, Ochako?

Comet: Gunhead is kind of wacky, but in a good way. He's super serious about training, but when we're talking about anything casual, he acts kind of cute.

Crayon: look out, Midori, Gunhead is steling ur gurl

All Might: *angry Wildmutt noises*

Comet: Good boy! Who's a good Deku-kun? Is it you? Yes, you are!

Crayon: ok, i no u r just messing around, but thats adorable, and im gunna puke rainbows

Crayon: night every1

Comet: Yeah, I think I'm ready for sleep. Ttyl, everyone!

All Might: Goodnight.

His nerves calmed by the easy banter, Midoriya closed his eyes and fell asleep. A few minutes later, his eyes snapped open and he sat up.

"Did I just flirt with Ochako?"

Ben groaned. "Oh my god!"

…

Despite her words, Uraraka took much longer to fall asleep. Her face burned and her heart was pounding. She tried to tell herself that Midoriya had just been joking around, that he was comfortable enough with her to pretend to be jealous. She wanted to hope that that was the case, because the alternative was too terrifying to think about.

_But… what if he _does _like me? _She wondered, and gripped her sheets tightly. _After the internships. I'll ask him then. Maybe Gunhead can give me some pointers on being brave._

…

"Come on, Deku, keep up!" Hawks shouted over the roaring wind. "I can reach Hosu in five minutes on a slow day!"

Jetray made a face at him. "I'm right next to you, how am I not 'keeping up'?"

After a light breakfast, they jumped off the roof of the Agency and flew straight for Hosu. Thankfully, they didn't have far to go, but there was still time for a few questions.

"How come you didn't go after Stain before?" Jetray asked. "Hosu is right next door."

"Politics." Hawks said the word with so much venom that Jetray was surprised the man didn't spit afterwards. "The government didn't want to give Stain too much public attention, so they kept the big names from going after him."

"Over twenty Heroes _died_!"

Hawks scowled. "And now you know why I hate politics. Seriously, they could have flooded Hosu with hundreds of Heroes after his first attack, but they didn't. We've been lobbying for a more active approach after his first kill, but the government didn't want to cause a panic."

"But… but all this waiting around just got more people killed, and there are some people on the internet who are saying that Stain is doing the right thing!"

"Exactly; the problem was basically ignored until it was too late. Now, the higher-ups decided that the best way to regain public trust is to send in as many Heroes as they can and crush the Hero Killer." Hawks shook his head as they swooped in to land. "Still, maybe we can douse the fire before the whole forest burns down."

Hawks put a smile on his face as dozens of people crowded around, asking for autographs or to ask questions—one woman in the back of the crowd asked if she could have Hawks' babies. To Deku's embarrassment, more than a few people started asking _him _questions—like if Hawks was taking him on as an early Sidekick, or how it felt to win the Sports Festival. Still, he did his best to stay composed; this was his first outing as Deku, a future Hero, and he had to make it count.

Thankfully, Hawks held up one hand to quiet the crowd, and such was the respect they had for him that they obeyed.

"Hey, you all know how much I love to talk," he said, "but my intern and I are actually on patrol right now. Don't worry, we're here to make sure everyone stays safe."

"Are you going after the Hero Killer?" one person asked.

Hawks smirked. "Only if that guy over there doesn't get to him first."

The crowd, and Deku, turned to see Endeavor half a block away. He was followed by a small team of Sidekicks, and his son, who went wide-eyed when he caught sight of his classmate.

Ironically, the crowd's enthusiasm cooled; Endeavor wasn't exactly known for being friendly, even with fans, so the civilians started to go on their way.

"Hawks," Endeavor grunted as he walked up to the shorter man. "I see you've been called in as well."

Hawks shrugged. "Yeah, what can you do? Say, why don't we split patrols and make it easier on ourselves? I can take the eastern half, if you like."

Endeavor crossed his arms. "Very well, but I expect you to pull your weight."

"No problem at all." Hawks was almost submissive in how he addressed Endeavor, but in a respectful way; it reminded Deku of how some of his classmates reacted to seeing All Might at that point.

Endeavor turned his gaze to Deku. "You're the boy who convinced Shoto to finally use his flames. You're more impressive than I first thought."

"Er…" Before Deku could reply, Endeavor walked off to speak with a nearby police officer.

"That's about as polite as he gets," Triumph said quietly as he stepped next to his friend. "Don't take it personally."

Deku smiled. "Thanks. How have you been since the internships started? Oh, did you run into Virtus today? And you have a new costume!"

Aside from his white boots, Triumph had completely changed his look. He had blue pants and a blue jacket with short sleeves; he also wore a metal-plated combat vest, and a series of capsules hanging from his belt that Midoriya recognized as those that contained medical supplies. He had the same tools on his own belt.

"I haven't seen him, but Hosu is a big place. And I didn't get much training done yesterday." Triumph just shrugged, and didn't respond to the comment about his costume. "I'll be doing that a lot at home anyway. Endeavor has been showing me field-protocol stuff; it's actually kind of interesting."

"You're not wrong," Hawks said. "Keep an eye on how a Pro Hero acts around different people. When it's civilians, and there's nothing happening, just try to show self-confidence. When you're talking to the police or other first responders, remember to stay professional and respectful; they put their lives on the line just as much as we do, but they don't get nearly as much credit."

Both boys nodded; it was good advice, and it would help keep them humble.

"Now then!" Hawks clapped his hands together. "Let's go find a serial killer!"

…

"How are you dealing with your first patrol, Virtus?" Manual paused to adjust his finned helmet. "I know it's a little boring right now, and you were probably expecting some excitement."

Virtus shook his head. "No, this is fine. If anything, it has given me time to think."

Manual might have been called the Normal Hero, but that just made him more approachable. Even his costume was 'normal', consisting of a blue shirt, yellow gloves, dark pants and white boots; the only thing that stood out was his helmet, with its distinctive fin and blue visor. He was humble and polite, but also unafraid to lighten the mood; it reminded Virtus of Tensei, in a way.

"What're you thinking about?" Manual's easy smile morphed into a thoughtful frown. "Is it the Hero Killer? I know Ingenium is your brother, so I assumed the reason you signed on with my agency is because you thought you might run into the man who attacked him." He grimaced. "Sorry, I didn't mean any offense."

"No, it is fine. That… was my initial reason for picking you, and I apologize for that." Virtus would have bowed, but he had more to say. "That is, until a few days ago. Some of my friends spoke to me about it, and convinced me that seeking revenge would only result in more people getting hurt. Besides, even if I _did _find the Hero Killer, he was able to defeat my brother and an entire team of Sidekicks; I am not even halfway done with my first year of high school."

Manual chuckled. "Your friends gave you some good advice; since you don't have a license, going after the Hero Killer would just get you labeled as a Vigilante, and you'd have to be arrested."

"That crossed my mind as well." Virtus shrugged. "I still wish to hurt Stain for all he did to my brother, but I will settle for cheering when he is finally brought to justice." He paused. "Not all of that was from my friends; as I said, I have had time to think on this patrol."

"That's good to hear." Manual patted him on the shoulder. "Patrols like this are good for clearing your head—whoa, look sharp."

Virtus followed his gaze and saw an elderly couple slowly crossing a busy street. "Should we intervene?"

"Let's just stay nearby and keep an eye on them," Manual said. "See, being a Hero isn't always about fighting Villains and helping in a disaster; most days, it's just about giving people a helping hand."

_I have to keep that in mind, _Virtus thought. _This cannot be about revenge. This is about doing what I can to help, while Tensei recovers._

…

"So, kid," Hawks said as he and Deku walked down the streets of Hosu, "I've got a question for you. Think of it like a quiz."

"Uh, sure?" Deku didn't know what to expect from Hawks; the Hero was strolling casually, his hands behind his head.

"What's the difference between a criminal and a Villain? I'll give you a hint: all Villains are criminals, but not all criminals are Villains."

That was something Deku hadn't heard of before. "I don't know. Sorry."

"It's all right, it's why you're here." Hawks grinned at him reassuringly. "See, a criminal is anyone who breaks the law, obviously. A Villain is defined as anyone who uses their Quirk to commit a crime. Let me give you an example—say there's a guy with a Quirk that lets him cause extreme pain to anyone he touches, and he's going around robbing stores. Obviously, he's very dangerous, but he never uses his Quirk. When he gets caught, they'll check if he ever used his Quirk during his crimes; since he didn't, his sentence usually isn't as harsh."

Hawks paused for a moment, and his smile became a bit forced. "Villains, especially those with dangerous Quirks, have to be carefully evaluated; those who have no chance of reform are sent to Tartarus. I'm sure you know about that place."

Deku swallowed nervously. "Y-yes, it's the most secure prison in Japan; most countries have a facility like it, but Tartarus is the only one to never have a prisoner even escape their cell, let alone break out of the entire prison." A thought came to him. "You mentioned something about Villains who can't be reformed. What about those who _can_?"

Hawks' smile became genuine again. "There's something called the Antihero Program. Villains who genuinely want to turn their lives around, and haven't committed a serious offense, can make an appeal to join the program. They're basically put on probation under a Hero… well, it's kind of like a parole officer. The ex-Villain works under that Hero like a Sidekick, only with a reduced pay; they're called Antiheroes. After a while, depending on how well the Antihero does, they can either rejoin society as regular citizens earlier than if they'd just stayed in prison, or they can become full-time Sidekicks, and eventually Pro Heroes."

"I've never heard of that," Deku said, a little annoyed that such a fascinating concept had escaped him.

"It's not something that's widely known," Hawks told him. "A lot of Heroes with criminal backgrounds would lose a lot of clients if the public found out they used to be Villains. Also, the government doesn't like Heroes to be anything less than squeaky-clean, so they bury that info pretty deep." He leaned over and gave Deku a conspiratorial wink. "Can you keep a secret?"

"I really hope he isn't about to tell us that _he _used to be a Villain," Ben, who had been listening as attentively as Deku, commented.

"You've already met someone in the Program, though she passed muster as a full-fledged Sidekick last month."

It took Deku about two seconds to realize who Hawks was talking about. He opened his mouth to shout, but three feathers shot out and covered his face until he calmed down.

"Takeda-san used to be a Villain?" he whispered. "I thought she went to Ketsubutsu?"

"She was never in the Hero Course," Hawks said. "And she never hurt anyone. She's good at what she does, and she's always been honest with me. Antihero or not, she's been one of my best Sidekicks; another year or two, and I'll recommend her as a full-time Hero."

Deku wasn't sure what to think about that; the idea of Villains turning over a new leaf was appealing, but after the USJ attack, he wasn't about to go holding out the hand of forgiveness to every criminal he met.

_Still, Takeda-san was really nice…_

"Anyway, now that we've got the lessons of the day finished, why don't we find some lunch?" Hawks jerked his thumb to point at a ramen stand across the street. "I'm down for something cheap."

Deku nodded; food sounded good, especially if it helped him process everything he had learned.

…

Stain stepped out of the shadows and into the cool evening air. He could admit that Hosu was beautiful at night, even with the false Heroes dragging their filth everywhere. But that was why he was here—to force them all to clean up after themselves, and if they wouldn't do it, he would.

Something moved in the corner of his eye, and he whirled around, katana drawn. "If you want to live, leave this place."

A humanoid shape of living shadow stepped out; its yellow eyes stared at him unblinkingly. "My apologies, Hero Killer, I mean no offense, nor do I wish to do battle with you. My name is Kurogiri, and my employer would like a word with you."

Stain sneered. "And why should I listen to anything you or your 'employer' have to say?"

Kurogiri merely bowed his head. "You are, of course, welcome to decline this invitation. However, there is someone I very much would like you to meet. He is young, and angry at the world, but particularly with Heroes. Aside from wanting them dead, he has no real goal; I have a vested interest in seeing him grow beyond his childish impulses. Perhaps you could help him with that."

Stain slowly lowered his sword. "Consider me intrigued, Kurogiri. I'll go with you, but if I think for even a moment that I am being led into a trap, you will be the first to die. Make this quick; I still have work to do here."

"Very well." Kurogiri waved a gaseous hand, and a portal appeared. "Right this way."

Stain cautiously followed Kurogiri into the portal; when he emerged on the other side, he found himself in a somewhat shabby bar. It was dimly lit, and a little cramped; the only person there, other than Kurogiri—who was putting on clothes and slipping behind the usual bartender's spot—was a young man in black clothes and a severed hand over his face.

"So, you're the famous Hero Killer." The young man leaned back in his seat in front of Kurogiri. "I'm Shigaraki Tomura. I'd shake your hand, but you'd lose it."

From the tone of his voice, Stain assumed it had something to do with the man's Quirk. "I've heard of you, and your so-called 'League of Villains'. You fled with your tail between your legs after you attacked UA."

Aside from a slight clenching of one hand, there was no reaction from Shigaraki. "I'll admit, that could have gone better. Our plan was basic, and didn't take certain factors into account. I was impatient and reckless; my moves will be more measured from now on."

Stain raised an eyebrow behind his mask. The rumors he'd heard about Shigaraki implied he was a spoiled child throwing a tantrum, but the young man before him had learned from his mistakes. That was enough to lower Stain's scorn of the man, but heightened his tension; there were few things more dangerous than a criminal who evolved so quickly.

"What is it you want from me?" he asked.

Shigaraki calmly waved him over to a seat; Stain cautiously took one, but not so close that Shigaraki could easily grab him.

"Anyone not living under a rock knows about what you've done," Shigaraki said. "You've killed plenty of Heroes, and I like that. But I noticed something that I really wanted to ask you about: why not kill them all?"

Stain met Shigaraki's gaze evenly. "Excuse me?"

"A lot of your victims were badly hurt, or even permanently crippled, but you could have just killed them," Shigaraki explained. "So, why not do exactly that? Wipe the slate clean."

_Ah, so that's what it is. _Stain's crusade had done little to espouse his views; he wanted his actions to create more action, not a debate.

"Some Heroes are beyond redemption," he said, and reached for the glass of water Kurogiri poured for him; it did nothing to wash out the taste of blood, but it had also been a long time since he'd had a real conversation with anyone. "Those deserve the death I bring. Others, those whose sins are lesser, I leave as warnings for the rest."

"But what _is _your warning?" Shigaraki asked, and leaned forward a little. "Are you warning them that they're next?"

Stain shook his head. "No. I warn them that that is their fate if they do not change their ways. Heroes today don't deserve the title; all they do is chase petty ambition and personal greed. A true Hero places their duty to others before anything else; saving lives and ending crime should be their only goal, not seek rewards and praise."

"You seek to bring about an age where Heroes are truly heroic," Kurogiri interjected.

"Exactly!" Stain nodded in approval. "You understand what I want."

Shigaraki didn't respond at first; he just tapped the edge of the bar with one finger. "Okay, but there are a few problems that I can see."

Stain bristled at first, but Shigaraki wasn't taunting him; if anything, he sounded genuinely interested. "And what are they?"

"First, you're only one man," Shigaraki said. "Eventually, you'll make a mistake, or get cornered by a group of Heroes you can't take alone. Trying to solo world events only works if you hack the system, or are an anime protagonist. The second problem I see is that you're really not selling your point to _everyone_; people on the internet have been arguing for months about your message, or even if you have one. Just because _you _know what your message is doesn't mean it'll actually spread."

"My resolve is my own, and it has been working," Stain replied; he was a little irritated, but also delighted that someone was willing to discuss this with him. "After I finish my work in a city, Heroes step up and take their duties seriously."

"And what if you get caught?" Shigaraki pressed. "How many Villains are remembered after they're gone? Give it five years, and you'll be a footnote on some forum; maybe you'll even get a poster and some memes if you're lucky."

"Only _if _I get caught," Stain countered. "I have yet to meet a Hero I cannot defeat."

"That's about to change." Shigaraki reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone; he brought up a recent news article and showed it to Stain. "Twenty Hero Agencies have been called to Hosu after you attacked Ingenium, including Hawks and Endeavor. You're a high-level player, Hero Killer, but you're still trying to solo raid bosses."

Stain was quiet for a moment. "I'm not so proud that I think I could defeat either of those two, not without careful planning." He glared at Shigaraki. "Is this why you brought me here? To try to convince me that I cannot continue my work without joining your little group?"

Now it was Shigaraki's turn to be quiet. "That _was _what I wanted; like I said, you're a high-level player, Stain, and having you in our party would bolster our prestige and help us in future encounters. But now, I think we have to part ways; you've helped me to realize that our philosophies are just too different for us to be compatible."

"And how do we differ?"

"Well, we do share one thing in common: we both think that this Hero-focused society has failed, and needs to change. The difference how we want to go about doing that. You want Heroes to be these incorruptible champions of justice, so you'll kill or remove anyone who doesn't fit your mold. You're cutting off a diseased limb in order to save the body.

"Me, on the other hand? I think this society is too rotten to be healed, and needs to be put to rest. Sometimes, trying to save a life just prolongs the misery." Shigaraki grinned widely enough to be seen around the hand on his face. "And if that means killing every Hero, and anyone else who gets in my way, so be it."

The Hero Killer's only reaction was to narrow his eyes; so, one of the few people to understand him still clung to a foolish idea.

"Then it seems we oppose each other," Stain said, and got up. "Are we enemies?"

"Not today." Shigaraki relaxed in his chair. "Right now, you have your mission, and I won't get in the way of it."

Stain recognized the truce for what it was. "Then send me back to Hosu; my work is not yet done."

As soon as the Hero Killer stepped through the portal Kurogiri made for him, Shigaraki chuckled.

"I expected you to be more confrontational," Kurogiri commented. "He refused your offer to join us."

"Oh, I'm a little disappointed, but I'm still glad he visited." Shigaraki idly scratched his neck. "That whole 'put society out of its misery' thing? I had that idea floating around in my head, but it wasn't until Stain explained himself that it crystallized. I really should have thanked him while he was here, because now, I know what I _want_."

"_That is good news, my boy," _the voice from the television in the corner said. _"And now that you have your resolve, what will you do about it?"_

"I wasn't lying about the Hero Killer being an enemy someday. He needs to be removed from the board." Shigaraki made a note on his phone. "But we can still use him; guys like that always have followers, and if it _seems _like he was with us, we can draw them to us."

"We will have to ensure that he gets caught, or killed, without appearing to have a hand in it," Kurogiri said.

"I have an idea about that." Shigaraki turned to the television. "Sensei, how many Nomus are ready?"

"_Six, though none are as powerful as the one you brought to the USJ. Why?"_

"I want them. Kurogiri, use your Quirk to keep an eye on the Hero Killer; we'll unleash the Nomus in areas near him, draw in the Heroes, and let them do the work for us. If we're lucky, either Stain or the Nomus will kill a few of them before the night is over." Shigaraki nodded to himself. "Just make sure the Nomus are close enough to Stain that people will start to connect the dots."

"_How devious of you." _The voice was full of pride and amusement. _"I approve of this plan, but I will only give you four Nomus."_

"That's fine, we can still use them to box him in." Shigaraki chuckled. "You're the hero of your own story, Stain, and the hero always has a brilliant last stand. Don't disappoint me."

**The stage is set, and the Hero Killer is ready to resume his mission. You'll notice that neither Uravity nor Froppy got an internship-related scene; I'm saving that for later. Everyone else was a calm-before-the-storm deal, or I just couldn't find any other good places to add them in.**

**Hawks is fun to write; he's a mix of casual and responsible, and he's young enough to act more like an older brother than a real mentor, but that'll help someone with frazzled nerves, like Midoriya (Yes, I know what's happened/happening in the manga, and I've taken that into account).**

**Takeda Yuki is an OC, one that I used to introduce the concept of an Antihero Program. I like the idea of some Villains just getting dealt a bad hand, but are then presented with an opportunity to do better. There's more to her, but that's for later.**

**Oh, and I don't know if you noticed this, but for my writing, when the heroes are actually being heroes (in this case, being in costume and doing their jobs), I refer to them by their hero names.**

**And that meeting between Shigaraki and Stain was a blast to write. I know that Shigaraki is evolving much faster than in canon; I figured that him trying to come up with a way to deal with someone like Midoriya kicked his brain into high gear. And eliminating a potential rival through other enemies, **_**and **_**using that rival's clout to gain followers and influence? That's diabolical, if I do say so myself.**

**One other thing. I know that a lot of you keep asking when Midoriya will get his Ultimate forms. I'm not going to give him something that powerful so soon. It will happen, but you're going to have to be patient.**

**As always, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction,**_** by Josh Gottlieb. You can find it in PDF format on my website (link in my profile) or as eBook and physical copies on Amazon. With all that's going on, we could all use something new to read!**

**And, if you have a few bucks to spare, please donate on my P-atreon page (link in my profile). Every dollar donated helps me worry less about things like food, and more on writing!**

**Speaking of my patrons, thanks to the following:**

**Serious Muffins: jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, John Collins, Calleo, Casey Pak, Red Bard, Ultimatrix10, Shaolin Khalil**

**Incredible Muffins:**** RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844, killroy225**

**Ultra Muffins:**** Adam Costello, Jeffrey Perigo, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Disaster in Hosu! Monsters run rampant, and Deku encounters the Hero Killer!**

**Stay safe and healthy out there, everybody.**

**Plus Muffin!**


	16. Chaos

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I DON'T HAVE SUPERPOWERS AND IT MAKES ME SAD. JURY'S STILL OUT ON TESTING TO SEE IF I'M ACTUALLY AN ALIEN.**

**Some Villains just want to watch the world burn. Others can do that and also be productive. Fear the criminal who can start a panic **_**and **_**get his groceries at the same time.**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 16

Chaos

"I probably should have mentioned that we'd be out late," Hawks said as he and Deku walked down yet another street. "Fun fact—Heroes do daytime patrols mostly to keep up appearances or respond to emergencies, but actual crimes are usually committed at night. Villains think they can get away in the dark."

"That makes sense," Deku said, and stifled a yawn. "Won't most Heroes be tired after patrolling all day, though?"

"You noticed that nothing actually _happened_, right?" Hawks idly scratched his chin. "Lots of Heroes see daytime patrols as light duty, so most of us are pretty rested by the time it gets dark. Also, you get used to being active for so long pretty fast, so don't worry about it so much." He paused and glanced at his intern. "Something else on your mind, kid?"

Deku shrugged uncomfortably. "I don't know; I kind of expected _something _to happen by now, but at the same time, I didn't, because there are so many Heroes out."

It was true; they couldn't go more than a block without seeing another Hero on patrol. What embarrassed Deku was that many of them waved at _him_ as often as they waved at Hawks; apparently, he had turned even more heads than his internship offers had suggested. However, he had noticed that the Heroes had become more and more serious as it got darker, and now he knew why.

"Kid, you've gotta learn to relax," Hawks said. "Believe it or not, days without anything happening are the best kind of days. It means that no one, Hero or civilian, is in danger. If anything, these kinds of days are what I want most as a Hero."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Hawks looked up at the sliver of sunlight in the distance and smiled wistfully. "What I want more than anything else is a world where Heroes have more free time than we know what to do with. It may sound weird, but I want a world so peaceful that we don't _need _Heroes."

Deku hadn't thought of it like that; the idea of a world that didn't need to be saved all the time sounded idyllic, and almost certainly impossible. At the same time, it was something worth striving for, and Deku found his respect for Hawks grow just a little more for such a noble goal.

Still, he was getting pretty bored at that point, but he wasn't nearly as annoyed with that anymore. Though a part of him wanted something to happen, he was secretly glad that it had been a quiet day. After the USJ attack, he wasn't in a hurry to pick a fight with someone actively trying to kill him.

Deku froze as he thought that.

_Please, universe, don't get any ideas._

…

Stain didn't even try to hide his sneer as he watched the false Heroes mill around below him. So many targets, but so much more risk. He had far too much work to do to get caught here.

As if by providence, motion nearby caught his attention, and he smiled. Another fake had stopped in an alleyway, almost right below him.

_Perhaps this won't be as difficult as I thought._

Stain shifted his balance, and drew his sword. Just as he let gravity assist him in his attack, explosions rocked the city.

_Perhaps I was wrong._

…

Hawks was in the air before the first explosion finished announcing itself. Deku was shocked for several vital seconds as he tried to figure out what was going on, but seeing his mentor flying in the direction of the chaos got him moving, and he was flying behind him as Jetray soon enough.

"That wasn't a gas explosion!" Hawks shouted to be heard over the noise. "Looks more like a fire-based Quirk!"

"Why would a Villain do something like this?" Jetray called back.

"My best guess is that he wants attention." Hawks slowed to a stop and hovered in the air. "Looks like he has it now."

Standing in the ruins of a burning car was what could only be described as a monster. It stood almost twice as tall as a normal person, with bulging muscles barely contained by dark skin, and veins that glowed red. The top half of its head looked like a human skull, but with an exposed brain; curving over its head was a scorpion-like tail, only the stinger was replaced with what looked like a glowing cannon.

The exposed brain was what tipped off Jetray, and nearly sent him into a panic. "It's another Nomu!? What's going on!?"

Hawks glanced at him. "Nomu, huh? That monster from the USJ attack has family, I guess." Feathers began to detach and swirl around him. "Deku, I'll handle this; I'd be a pretty bad mentor if I brought you into a major fight."

"But I—"

"Don't worry, I'm not telling you to go hide in a corner." Hawks' feathers flew out and snatched people out of harm's way when a blast of lava shot out of the Nomu's tail. "You have my permission to use your Quirk; fly around the city and escort civilians to safety, or assist other Heroes if you can. Just try to stay out of anything too big, okay?"

There was no more time to discuss it, so Jetray nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me…" Two large flight feathers flew into Hawks' hands, and he rocketed towards the Nomu, the feathers held like swords. "I have work to do!"

Jetray wanted to stay behind, if only because he _really _wanted to watch Hawks fight a Villain in person, but he had his orders.

"Other Heroes will be here soon," Ben assured him. "You don't have to be at the center of attention every time there's a crisis."

"Right." Jetray flew up to gain a better view, and winced when he saw three more fires around the city. "This isn't good."

He banked and flew towards the space between Hawks' fight and the nearest fire, but then something, a feeling, began niggling at the back of his mind. He flew up higher, until the city looked more like a map, and realized what it was—all four explosions had formed a rough square, and Heroes were flooding the spaces between each 'dot'.

_It feels like this was done deliberately, _Jetray thought. _To keep people out, or someone in?_

On a hunch, he headed back down, towards the center of the square, which happened to be a maze of alleyways… exactly the kind of terrain favored by the Hero Killer. Moving at incredible speed, Jetray searched the area, hoping that he was wrong.

He wasn't; less than ten seconds after starting his search, he found a man with wild hair and covered in bladed weapons standing over a bleeding figure with a raised sword.

Unlike with the explosions, he didn't hesitate. There was someone in danger, and he had to help them; it was that simple. Faster than the human eye could track, he plunged into the alley and fired his neuroshock beams from his eyes, directly into the Hero Killer's back.

"Get away from him!"

…

Stain rolled with the unexpected hit and came to a ready crouch. Standing—or rather, hovering—between him and his latest target was what looked like a bat and a stingray mixed together with red paint.

"Don't worry," the creature said, tilting its head just enough to look at the false Hero, but also keep Stain in his sight. "I'm here to save you!"

Despite the stinging pain in his back, Stain grinned. _Finally! Someone with their priorities straight!_

To Stain's surprise, the creature slapped the hourglass dial on its chest, and transformed into a more humanoid shape. "DIAMONDHEAD!"

_Ah, so that's who it is._ Stain might have been dedicated to his mission, but he still heard things. Recently, gossip had been flowing about a boy who had a Quirk that gave him multiple forms, and multiple powers. He had won the Sports Festival, which meant he was either skilled, or lucky.

"You've made a poor choice, child," Stain said, and readied his bloody sword. "Your decision to prioritize another's safety is commendable, so I will not kill you, but I cannot allow you to stand in the way of my work. I'll have to hurt you a little."

The student widened his stance, blocking the false Hero behind him as much as possible. One of his arms shifted and transformed into a curved blade.

"I'm not going to let you hurt _anyone_, Stain!"

Stain's smile widened; this one had courage, and appeared to have genuine integrity. Perhaps he had time to test this would-be Hero before he completed his work for the night.

…

Diamondhead kept his blade-arm ready as he placed his other on the ground. A mass of diamond spikes rose up around Native, the Hero he'd just saved, and created a rough cone. That would keep him safe for a while.

Across from him, Stain grinned. "And you're keeping the victim safe? Good; most fakes don't even think about the injured around them."

_I wish I'd just grabbed Native and flew off, _Diamondhead thought. _But I have no idea how bad his injuries are; I might make it worse if I try to move him. My best bet is to keep Stain here until help arrives. Speaking of which…_

"Yeah, but I don't really know how well I'll do against you all by myself," he said out loud.

"Ah, I see where you're going with this," Ben said, though only Midoriya could hear him. "Sending location to all contacts in the city… sent. Good luck, buddy."

Something Midoriya had learned was that, while transformed, his phone 'merged' with the Ultimatrix. Apparently, the real Ben had asked Azmuth to add that feature, turning the Ultimatrix into a way to communicate. Neither Midoriya nor Holo-Ben had the time to send a full message; instead, his location and the word 'help' was sent to Hawks, Triumph, and Virtus, the only people whose contact information he had that were in Hosu.

He just hoped that they would get here in time.

"I'll give you one chance," he said, trying to buy precious seconds. "Surrender, and no one else has to get hurt."

"Offering compassion, reluctant to cause harm." Stain idly twirled his sword. "You're ticking off every box that a true hero should aspire for. But can you back up your words?"

Stain was _fast_. As far as Diamondhead knew, the man had no speed-based Quirk, but he was almost a blur as he charged. The sword was inside his reach before he had time to react, and if he hadn't been made of living diamond, the blade would have carved a deep gash in his chest. Instead, there was a shower of sparks, though the impact was sudden enough to send him staggering back.

Diamondhead tried to hit him with his blade-arm, but Stain leaned out of the way, and then ducked when a punch was thrown.

"You've got the fundamentals down, and you have power," Stain commented gleefully. "But you lack refinement! Your technique isn't there yet—the heart of a hero, not the skill! All the more reason to let you live!"

_Is he… evaluating me? _Diamondhead fired a burst of crystals at Stain, who nimbly dodged out of the way. _Maybe I can keep him here until help arrives._

…

"Triumph! Put a wall between the enemy and the civilians!" Endeavor unleashed a wave of fire at the Nomu rampaging down the street.

Rather than respond, Triumph stomped down with his right foot, and a thick wall of ice erupted to protect the innocent people trying to get away. He was reminded of when he did something similar at the USJ, though Heatblast's flames were much more powerful than his father's.

While Endeavor battled the Nomu, Triumph kept watch; as an intern, he wasn't supposed to fight something like Nomu unless there was no other choice. Besides, Endeavor seemed to have things in hand. He was about to back up behind his ice wall when he felt his phone vibrate; as was protocol in the field, it was only supposed to do anything if there was a message from a Hero, or another student in the area.

Still keeping one eye on the fight, Triumph looked at his phone; two seconds later, he felt a twinge of fear in his heart.

_Izuku!_

"Endeavor!" he shouted, even as he sent the coordinates from his phone to Endeavor's.

His father drove the Nomu—a musclebound brute with no eyes to speak of—into the ground with a devastating punch. "What!?"

"I have an emergency call, I'm responding now!" With the bare minimum said, he spun on his heel and ran down the street. "I've sent the location to your phone, send backup when you're done!"

"Shoto! Come back!"

"No time!" Triumph yelled. "My friend is in trouble!"

…

"What kind of trouble!?" Manual shouted over the chaos.

"I'm not sure," Virtus admitted, "but my friend would not have sent it if it was not serious!"

Manual scowled, and then used his Quirk to hose down a fire with the water from a hydrant. "Okay, as soon as I'm done here, I'll follow you with as many Heroes as I can grab. Just be careful, and don't take unnecessary risks!"

"Understood!" Virtus ran off as quickly as his boosters would allow. He prayed that Izuku was all right; he had almost lost his brother, he didn't want to lose one of his best friends.

…

_This isn't working, _Diamondhead thought with frustration as his punch missed once again. _He can't hurt me, but I'm not fast enough to hit him. What do I have that's both fast and tough?_

Stain jumped back and threw a knife right into Diamondhead's eye; if it had hit almost any of his other aliens, the injury would have been crippling, if not lethal. Instead, the blade shattered on his face.

"It's in the name." he pointed to his face. "_Diamond_head."

"Just testing," Stain said, and it bothered Diamondhead to see just how _happy _the maniac was. "It's good to see that a Hero can back up true ideals with power."

_I still need to buy time._

"So, I have a question," Diamondhead said, even as he made sure to keep Native safe. "You hate 'false' Heroes, right? Anyone who does this for the fame and fortune?"

"Exactly. All I want is a world where Heroes truly live up to the word. Anyone else must be purged, or else their corruption will spread."

"Then I have a scenario for you. Say someone wants to be a Hero; for the most part, they honestly like helping people, but the reason they became a Hero in the first place is because they want money to help their family. Does that mean they deserve death?" When Stain didn't immediately answer, Diamondhead kept talking. "Do shades of grey not exist in your world?"

"No, they don't." Stain hefted his sword again. "To be a Hero is to be selfless, to sacrifice for the common good. Anything else, _anything_, is just a reason to not be a Hero at all."

_What do I have that can fight without worrying about those blades? Wait, I've got it!_

"Well, that's too bad." Diamondhead's hand moved to the dial. "Because I know someone like that, and she's one of the best people I know."

Stain started to charge again, but then took a step back and shielded his eyes from the green light. Diamondhead was gone, replaced by—

"BUZZSHOCK!"

The living battery giggled maniacally. "You should have given up when you had the chance."

"And _you _shouldn't have given up a form that could protect you from my blades!" Stain rushed forward. "I have hopes for you, boy, but associating with a false Hero will corrupt you! I will purge this world of them before it takes root in you!"

The sword came down on Buzzshock's head, and two horrified voices rang out in the night.

"IZUKU!"

…

Triumph saw Virtus at the same time as the other boy saw him. They were almost at Deku's location, and there was no time for talk, only action. Triumph only hoped that they were in time to save—

They turned the corner just as Stain brought his sword down on a strange creature—it had to be Deku, it couldn't be anyone else, no matter how much Todoroki wished otherwise in that moment—and split him in half.

"IZUKU!"

There was no thought, only shock, grief, and overwhelming anger. Triumph's left side erupted with flames, and he sent an inferno straight at the Hero Killer. The murderer ducked, only to get Virtus' Recipro-assisted boot in his face that sent him tumbling down the alley.

Both boys were panting heavily, on the verge of tears or rage, neither knew, but then they saw something that caused their hearts to swell with hope.

Though he had been cut in two, Deku's body still hadn't fallen. In fact, both halves started to tremble, and then regenerate; in seconds, two identical creatures hovered in the air and laughed.

"Surprise!" The living batteries flew over to Stain and fired bolts of green lightning from their hands; Stain cried out in pain, and then fell to the ground. One Deku—or were they the same?—flew back toward his friends. "Guys! You're here!"

"Izuku?" Virtus almost reached out to grab him. "You're alive? How?"

"Oh, you saw that?" For a moment, Deku looked guilty. "Sorry. This one is called Buzzshock; he's got electrical powers, and he can be divided into copies of himself."

Triumph looked back at Stain, who was trying to fight back; he managed to 'kill' the other Buzzshock, only to be faced with two more. He 'killed' them several times, but within seconds, nearly twenty of them buzzed around his head, cackling and shooting bolts of lightning.

"That's useful," Triumph said.

"Yeah, I couldn't think of anything else that was fast enough to hit him, and not be hurt by a lucky swing." Buzzshock pointed to a cone of diamond. "There's a Hero under there, and he's hurt. If we let up on Stain, he's going to kill him."

"Understood." Now that the panic was over, Triumph was more than ready to get into the fight. "If you can keep him pinned, I can weaken him enough for Virtus to land a finishing blow."

"Sounds good." A scream of frustration caused Buzzshock to giggle. "I think Stain is having a bad night. What do you think, Virtus?" There was no answer. "Virtus? Tenya?"

Virtus was staring at Stain; everything had gone red, and all he wanted was to put the Hero Killer in the ground. He took a single step forward… and then stopped when Buzzshock zapped his arm with a tiny bolt of electricity.

"Ow!"

"Whatever you're doing, stop it," Buzzshock snapped. "We need to _stop _him, not kill him. If we're going to be Heroes, we can't take justice into our own hands. You _know _this, Tenya—what would your brother say if he knew what you were about to try?"

And just like that, the spell was broken; Virtus' shoulders slumped, and he let out a deep breath. "You're right… you're right. I can do this."

Buzzshock and Triumph shared a look, and then the former nodded. "We'll give you an opening, just be ready."

Virtus nodded and took a runner's stance. "Just tell me when."

"ENOUGH!" Stain was hurt by the lightning, but the pain only fueled his rage, and he burst through the mob of Buzzshocks and charged the students. "This world will be purged!"

Triumph tried to disrupt his charge by creating a mound of spiked ice, but Stain vaulted over it, and kicked Buzzshock out of the way when he tried to intercept him. The Hero Killer hurled a knife with enough force to bury it in Triumph's shoulder all the way up to the hilt. The boy barely had time to register that he'd been hit when the knife was ripped back out by an attached wire, and landed back in Stain's hand. The murderer's tongue licked the blood off, and just like that, Triumph collapsed to the ground.

"Todoroki, are you all right!?" Virtus asked, while every Buzzshock blasted Stain with more electricity than was strictly necessary.

"I've never been stabbed before, but I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be pleasant, so, no," Triumph said through gritted teeth. "And I can't move. Looks like Deku was right about his Quirk."

Virtus grimaced; things were far from ideal—if they were, none of them would have been fighting the Hero Killer in the first place—but they were far from dire. The swarm of Buzzshocks was keeping Stain from getting too far; they had learned their lesson, and none of them were letting up on the lightning.

"Virtus," one Buzzshock, possibly the original, said, "we're gonna try something. Don't worry about collateral damage to one of us, just kick as hard as you can, and aim for his leg."

Virtus trusted Deku, and he nodded. "Do it."

"Dogpile!" one Buzzshock shouted, and over a dozen of them grabbed onto Stain. Individually, Buzzshock didn't weigh that much, but all of them together meant that Stain was too slow to react, especially with his nerves damaged by the electricity. "Now!"

"This is for Tensei!" Virtus shouted, and his boosters glowed. "Recipro Extend!"

Virtus' outstretched foot sent two Buzzshocks flying, even as it smashed into Stain's right leg. There was a sickening crunch as something broke, but the impact jarred the other Buzzshocks enough for Stain to shake them loose, and then drove the hilt of his sword into Virtus' head. The helmet kept him from getting too badly hurt, but the boy's bell was rung, and he stumbled back. Stain brought his sword up to finish the job, only to be slammed back by a column of ice that rammed into his chest.

"Triumph, you can move?" Virtus asked.

"No," came the answer, "but I can still use my Quirk. Good thing I've got so much practice with my ice. Now, someone take him down!"

"Let's see you get up from this!" Five Buzzshocks grabbed onto Stain's limbs, and their bodies crackled with electricity, while three more hovered overhead. "Battery Blitz!"

Lightning coursed through Stain's body from the direct contact, while the trio above combined their blasts into one powerful bolt right into his chest. For a moment, everyone was tense as they waited for Stain to make his next move; instead, he collapsed, his body twitching from the sustained shocks.

Virtus looked down at the unconscious man. "Is… is it over?"

Buzzshock nodded slowly. "I think it is."

…

"This is starting to get annoying," Hawks muttered as he narrowly avoided the Nomu's lava. "This guy just won't stay down."

Normally, Hawks could take down a Villain in two or three minutes on a slow day, maybe five if his opponent was on the tough side, but this Nomu seemed to have every advantage. His lava burned away his feathers, and he was tough enough to take anything Hawks dished out.

_Still, I can't give up; if this guy runs wild, he could kill a lot of people._

"Hawks, get out of the way!"

Acting on instinct, Hawks pulled up, just as a torrent of fire slammed into the Nomu's head. Hawks grinned down at the ground.

"About time you got here, Endeavor!" he called out. "You getting slow in your old age?"

"Shut it, you punk!" Endeavor shouted. "I've already beaten two of these things, and I was chasing another!"

"Okay, sheesh!" Hawks' eyes narrowed. "If you can hold that tail steady, I'll disarm him, and you can finish the job!"

Rather than argue, Endeavor ducked under a spurt of lava, stunned the Nomu with a devastating punch, and then grabbed the tail. In an instant, Hawks brought down his longer flight feathers and sliced the end of the tail clean off; Endeavor followed it up with a double-fisted blow that drove the Nomu's head into the street hard enough to shatter the sidewalk.

"Good, that's done." Endeavor narrowed his eyes at Hawks. "Get back in the air and find that other creature; it was flying south last time I saw it. If you can't find it…" He pulled out his phone and typed something. "Go to that location; at least two students are there, and might be in trouble."

Hawks looked at his own phone, and realized that he'd missed a message during the fight. His expression never changed, but his pulse sped up when he saw that it was from his intern.

"I'm on it," he said without his usual smirk, and took to the air. "Dammit, kid, I thought you _wouldn't_ get into trouble!"

…

After briefly turning into Diamondhead to free Native, Deku and Virtus applied what first aid they could to the injured. Fortunately, Triumph was only affected by Stain's Quirk for a few more seconds after the Hero Killer was defeated, though Native was confused.

"How come he got free so quickly?" the man asked. "I still can't move!"

"I had a theory that the Hero Killer's Quirk had a time limit based on blood type," Deku muttered as he wrapped bandages around the Hero's shoulder.

"I have type O blood," Triumph offered. "That might be the least affected. What about you, Native?"

"Type B." Native frowned, though at that point he finally started to move again. "I guess it affects my blood type for a while. Sorry about all of this, kids; I'm supposed to be a Pro Hero, but I couldn't do anything."

"Honestly, I don't think anyone would do well against the Hero Killer in a one-on-one fight," Deku said.

Triumph scoffed, but there was no heat behind it. "I think you would have taken him down eventually with that Buzzshock form of yours."

Deku shook his head. "Honestly, I hit him with enough volts to take down a normal person a dozen times over, but he kept fighting. He was… a fanatic, and he refused to stop. I think he would have fought his way clear before I found the right amount of voltage."

Virtus looked over at Stain, who had been disarmed after a thorough search, and then frozen up to his neck by Triumph. "I agree; he just kept fighting until his body couldn't take it anymore."

"Um, how are we going to get him out of here?" Deku asked, which brought everyone else up short.

"I… guess we just leave him in the ice?" Triumph said. "We can keep an eye on him until more Heroes arrive to take him into custody. I'll stay and make sure the ice doesn't melt."

"Right." Deku handed Virtus the rest of his medical supplies and ran to the alley's entrance. "I'll flag down any Heroes and show them where to go."

"Deku, wait, we should—" Virtus tried to go after him, only for the world to sway, and he fell to his hands and knees.

"What's wrong?" Native asked, his tone serious and direct; clearly, he knew what he was doing. "I saw you take a hit to your head; I'm taking off your helmet." It was difficult to see in the dark, so Native turned to Triumph. "Can I get a little light?"

"Sure thing." Triumph generated enough fire to drive off the darkness.

"All right, let's see what we've got here." Native gently prodded the burst skin running down the side of Virtus' head, and then examined his eyes. "Looks like you might have a slight concussion. Any nausea?"

"No, just dizziness, and my head hurts," Virtus said.

"Okay, we'll get you checked out at a hospital, but your helmet probably saved you from a lot worse." Native shot a glare at Stain. "That guy is way too dangerous for anywhere other than Tartarus."

"He deserves everything the law can throw at him," Virtus said, voice full of venom.

"I heard something about your brother during the fight." Native frowned as he examined Virtus' costume. "He wouldn't happen to be Ingenium, would he? I heard that he was on the mend; you're both lucky."

Virtus nodded, but didn't mention the Vigilante that had saved Tensei's life. There was too much going on to bring that up right now.

…

"Well, that was certainly a show," Shigaraki mused. "Good teamwork, and the Midoriya kid had a form that neutralized the Hero Killer's skills and equipment."

"You seem pleased," Kurogiri noted.

"I mean, yeah, the Hero Killer could have lived up to his name a bit more," Shigaraki admitted, "but the plan was to get him caught or killed, so I'd say tonight is going well. In fact, I think we can complete a bonus quest while we're here."

"And how will we do that?"

"Just wait and see," Shigaraki said, his grin wide enough to be seen around the hand over his face.

…

"Guys, some Heroes are on their way!" Deku announced. "They'll be here any—"

Triumph saw it first; logically speaking, he knew that his delayed reaction was a combination of pain, coming down from the adrenaline, and just plain inexperience, but he would regret not acting, and could only shout.

"Look out!"

Before Deku could register the warning, a blur flew down from the sky and snatched him up. He yelped in fear as strong claws gripped his arms; the flying Nomu had grabbed him in a way that prevented him from using the Ultimatrix, and he was helpless.

"Deku, don't move!"

Even in the grip of the monster, Deku felt his fear vanish when he heard Hawks' voice. The Winged Hero swooped down with a double-kick directly into the Nomu's exposed brain. The shock of the high-speed impact was enough to loosen the Nomu's grip, and Deku slipped into the open air. He didn't fall far, because a handful of feathers hooked under his hood and gently lowered him to the ground.

A moment later, the defeated Nomu crashed to the street in a heap, and Hawks landed next to his intern. His wings were half the size of what they once were, but other than that, Hawks looked none the worse for wear.

"Ouch," Hawks muttered, "I'm gonna have some bruises on my feet for that move." He turned to Deku. "You okay, kid?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," Deku said shakily as he got to his feet. "Th-thanks, Hawks."

Hawks grinned and was about to speak, but the sound of clapping got everyone's attention, from students to Pro Heroes. Standing on the edge of a nearby rooftop was a familiar face to anyone who had been at the USJ incident, or had been briefed about it.

"Well, look at that," Shigaraki called down mockingly, "you self-righteous Heroes managed to catch Stain. It only took you _months_, and how many of you did he kill or maim before that happened?"

"The League of Villains," Deku said under his breath. "They _are _behind this."

Hawks detached more of his feathers and prepared to launch them at Shigaraki, but then he saw the portal behind him. Fast as Hawks was, he wasn't fast enough to stop Shigaraki from taking that single step back to safety; instead, he settled for waiting and watching, taking in every detail for later examination.

"You might have caught Stain, but you haven't stopped _anything_," Shigaraki continued. "His ideals live on in the League of Villains, and we won't stop until this world is purged of anyone who can't live up to what a Hero should be!" He pointed down at the growing crowd of Heroes, while several nearby civilians who hadn't been able to get away from the chaos pulled out phones and recorded everything. "The League of Villains is coming for you all!"

"Enough of this!" Endeavor, who had just arrived on the scene, drew back his arm and hurled an orb of fire at Shigaraki; it was far too late, and Shigaraki was warped away long before the flames reached him.

As if a switch had been thrown, all the Heroes let out a sigh of as the tension drained out of them; all that was left was the cleanup.

"All right then," Hawks said nonchalantly, though Deku could see the tension in his eyes. "I guess that's it for tonight."

…

Word of the incident in Hosu City spread like wildfire across Japan, but it was especially poignant for the Hero community. For most, they were happy that the man who had killed so many of their colleagues had finally been captured, though everyone was waiting impatiently for the details.

For several young interns, one of the details that _had _been released had them all on edge.

_Hero Killer captured after an attack on Pro Hero Native, and UA interns under Manual, Hawks, and Endeavor._

Ashido had freaked out right in front of Sky Dancer, and only calmed down a little when her mentor all but ordered her to call her friends and see if they were okay.

Sero had turned in early, but knew he wouldn't be sleeping for a while after the news hit his phone.

Asui had been on a late-night mission with Selkie, and had turned off her phone. She didn't find out what happened until the next morning, when she listened to a near-hysterical message from Ashido.

Yaoyorozu had been about to retire for the evening, when Ryukyu had calmly but urgently asked her if she had seen the news. When she found out that three of her friends had been taken to the hospital after a fight with the Hero Killer, she feared the worst, and her fingers slipped several times as she tried to call one of them.

Uraraka had been in the middle of learning a kick from Gunhead when one of the man's Sidekicks ran into the dojo and hurriedly turned on the television. Uraraka felt more nauseous than after using her Quirk on herself, and practically begged Gunhead to let her find out what had happened.

To the Rising Stars' frustration and mounting panic, they couldn't contact their three friends until the next day.

…

"All right, Todoroki-san, just don't do anything strenuous with your right shoulder for about a week, and you should be completely fine."

Todoroki nodded and put his shirt back on. "Thank you, Doctor."

"No need for that." The doctor turned to the next patient. "As for you, Iida-san, your concussion was indeed minor, but head injuries must always be taken seriously. You should be fine, but if you notice anything strange over the next few days, such as headaches for no reason or sudden dizziness, go to a doctor again as soon as possible."

Iida bowed, though he did so much slower than normal. "I understand."

"Thankfully, Midoriya-san, your injuries were only superficial." The doctor smiled at Midoriya. "Just some bruises on your arms, and those will heal in a few days." He shook his head. "I've treated plenty of Heroes in my career, but if you three can keep your injuries at this level, you'll have long and healthy careers ahead of you."

The boys had been brought to the same hospital as Native; the Pro Hero had suffered the worst injury, with a deep gash across one shoulder, but he would recover. Still, even after the doctors had said that the boys' injuries were minor, the students' mentors had all insisted that they stay the night. Todoroki mentioned that it was probably a way for the adults to keep them in one place while they spoke to the police.

All three of them had spoken to detectives and given blow-by-blow accounts of the fight with Stain. Since they had received permission from their mentors to use their Quirks if necessary, and a life _had _been at stake, none of them were in trouble for fighting a Villain without even a Provisional License, but they were asked to keep quiet on the details for now.

"So…" Todoroki waited until the doctor left, and then looked at his friends. "We're telling the others, right?"

"A-are you sure?" Midoriya asked. "The police said not to talk about it."

Todoroki shrugged. "I might not have been friends with them as long as you, but I'm pretty sure they'll be worried sick. Do you want to lie to them about this?"

Midoriya felt a surge of guilt; he had already been lying to them about having a Quirk, and the thought of lying further was unbearable.

"I really don't," he said.

"Nor do I," Iida agreed.

"Then we'll tell them, as long as they don't spread it further." Todoroki leaned back in his hospital bed. "They probably already know that something happened. I vote that Midoriya tells them we're fine."

A mischievous light flashed across Iida's face. "Seconded."

Midoriya shot Iida a betrayed look, and then a pleading one at Todoroki, but the two boys gave him no sympathy.

"Have fun," Todoroki said. "I'm sure at least one of them will be hysterical by now."

The door slid open, and four people walked in—Manual, Hawks, Endeavor, and a man the boys didn't recognize. He looked human from the neck down, but he had the head of a beagle.

"Hello, boys," the dog-man said. "My name is Tsuragamae Kenji, Chief of Police. First of all, I'd like to express how pleased I am that none of you were seriously injured, woof."

The three boys—as well as Ben—stared at him. _Woof?_

Yes, Asui had her 'ribbit' thing going on, but they had all thought she did that because it was cute. Apparently, it was biological, if Tsuragamae was any indication.

"Second, we've come to a decision regarding the Stain incident." Tsuragamae's face made it hard to read his expression, but he looked reluctantly accepting of something. "None of you are in trouble for your actions. You were under orders from your mentors to assist where necessary, and you took appropriate steps; had there not been someone in danger, and if you had just tried to fight instead of running away, we would be having a very different conversation.

"However, you _are _still students, and we don't want others your age to think they can go up against hardened criminals without a license. As such, you will not be credited with Stain's capture; because of the burns Stain suffered, Endeavor is being given the credit, and no one will be the wiser."

Todoroki looked at his father; Endeavor was obviously annoyed with being rewarded for something he didn't do, but he understood the necessity of it all. Hawks, on the other hand, looked far too amused at the older man's discomfort, and kept coughing into one hand to avoid laughing. Manual nervously glanced at the other Heroes, and inched back when Endeavor sent Hawks a withering glare.

"You do have permission to tell your families, provided that they not say anything," Tsuragamae went on. "But I ask that you refrain from doing so until after the press release later today, woof. Aside from that, while I cannot say anything officially, I want to thank you three for what you did to bring Stain to justice."

With that, the police chief left, followed by Endeavor after he gave his son a quick once-over and a brief nod.

"Hey, kid." Hawks patted Midoriya on the shoulder. "We're gonna spend the rest of your internship at my office. Just because you're not in trouble doesn't mean you're off the hook. Besides, I've gotta let my wings regenerate for a couple of days to get back up to a hundred percent." Hawks' diminished wings flapped once to emphasize his point. "You'll be discharged within the hour, so we'll head back then."

"Good, then he has enough time to let Uraraka know that he's okay," Todoroki said, his expression stoic, though his tone hinted at his amusement. "She's probably worried sick."

Hawks did a double-take between Todoroki and Midoriya, and finally lost the battle to control his laughter.

…

"_Izuku, are you okay!?"_

Midoriya held the phone away from his ear as Uraraka practically shouted. "Y-yes, we're all fine. Todoroki needed a few stitches and Iida has to take it easy for a few days, but nothing was too serious."

"_Good… that's good." _Uraraka took a steadying breath that sounded like static over the phone. _"What about you? Were you hurt? I know you could heal yourself, but…"_

"I just got a couple of bruises on my arms," Midoriya said, trying to put as much confidence in his voice as possible to help calm her down. "I didn't even need to use Swampfire."

At least Midoriya was getting practice in reassuring people; he had already called Ashido, Yaoyorozu, Asui and Sero to let them know that everyone was fine. Ashido had cried in relief once she found out that everyone was fine, Sero had demanded details—which Midoriya couldn't give until later—Asui had started apologizing for not calling sooner, and Yaoyorozu had fussed as much as possible over a phone call. He had also called his mother—and had dealt with her crying over the phone for a good ten minutes before she calmed down. He had put off calling Uraraka for last because… well, he couldn't come up with a good reason, other than he didn't want to hear her sound so worried.

_How do I do this? _He wondered. _What would All Might do? Wait, I don't think acting like All Might is going to help. Too bombastic. Maybe act like Hawks? No, he always sounds like he's trying too hard to be casual._

Ben appeared next to him; he couldn't read his mind, but the hologram gave him a knowing look. "Just be yourself, buddy."

_Just be Izuku. Okay._

"Ochako." Midoriya's voice was soft and kind. "We're all okay. I promise. You can see for yourself when we get back to school."

"… _Okay." _Uraraka's voice was small and fragile, but no longer on the verge of hysterics. _"Thanks for letting me know, Deku-kun. I've gotta go; Gunhead told me to come back inside as soon as I talked to you."_

"Sure thing, Ochako. I'll see you in a few more days." In the corner of his eye, he saw Hawks pointing at a nonexistent watch on his wrist. "Looks like Hawks wants to get going. Try to have some fun, okay?"

"_Yeah, okay." _Now, Uraraka sounded a little amused. _"Bye, Deku-kun."_

"Nice job," Hawks complimented after Midoriya hung up. "You got her to calm down without sounding condescending. Lots of Heroes have to work on that."

"I w-was just t-telling her the truth," Midoriya said nervously. "No one was badly hurt." His eyes suddenly went wide. "T-today w-was my first t-time talking to g-girls on the phone."

Hawks' grin had long since reached shit-eating levels. "That's adorable, kid. Come on, I'll buy lunch on the way back; you earned it."

…

Shigaraki leaned back in his chair and smiled. It had been less than twenty-four hours since Stain had been captured, and already his underworld contacts were setting up meetings for him. Dozens of Villains now believed that the League of Villains shared Stain's ideals, and since Shigaraki had claimed that Stain had been part of the League… well, they weren't exactly clamoring to join up just yet, but they were taking him seriously.

"_That was an excellent performance, Tomura. You only lost a few disposable pawns, in exchange for eliminating a rival, and gaining both newfound respect and potential recruits from the Villain community."_

Shigaraki bowed towards the TV. "Thank you, Sensei."

"_I do have one question, however." _There was a pause as Shigaraki's master thought. _"You had the flying Nomu try to kidnap the Midoriya boy. Explain your reasoning."_

"I had a couple of reasons." Shigaraki started to pace back and forth. "First, people are going to ask why I tried to take him, specifically. 'Maybe he sees the kid as a threat?', or even better, 'Maybe there was a darker reason?' People assume the worst possibilities, so maybe they thought _I _think Midoriya could be a Villain. Whatever the case, if I can get the Heroes to doubt the kid, even a little, that'll help us in the long term."

"_You're trying to erode the pedestal society will no doubt place him on… I'm impressed. What was your other reason?"_

Shigaraki grinned. "I had a theory about his Quirk, but I had to test it to be sure. Now… now I know how to beat him."

**I think I mentioned this before, but I like the idea of Shigaraki evolving more as a Villain. I want him to be dangerous, not just with his Quirk, but as a strategist. We've seen this in the manga/anime, but I like the idea of Midoriya's powers being the catalyst that forces Shigaraki to think strategically, both in the short term and long term.**

**Also, if that fight with Stain was a little short, I apologize. It's just that Iida isn't as revenge-crazy as in canon, and Midoriya has the Ultimatrix. And he has Buzzshock, who is probably the perfect counter to someone using **_**bladed metal weapons**_**. And I decided that the three boys wouldn't get in trouble for what they did, since they had orders to use their Quirks—they just aren't getting credit for the win, which feels like a decent compromise. Also, Todoroki **_**does **_**have type O blood, if you didn't know. Oh, and I know that Stain didn't have that knife attached to a wire, but it seemed like something he **_**should **_**have, so there you have it.**

**As always, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. It is available as a PDF on my website (link in my profile), and on Amazon as both an eBook and physical copy. Sales help get me noticed, and you get something to read; it's a win for us all!**

**Another way you can help out is by donating on P-atreon (link in my profile). Donations are one of my primary sources of income right now, and it would be amazing if it grew enough for me to live on, just so I can write fan fiction and new books every day without worrying about stuff.**

**Here are some of my Patrons who are helping me achieve that dream:**

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**Next Chapter: Midoriya and the Rising Stars finish their internships, but while Stain is behind them, a new crisis emerges, and it's targeting the Ultimatrix…**

**Stay safe out there!**

**Plus Muffin!**


	17. Internships

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I TRIED TO GIVE MYSELF POWERS AGAIN, BUT THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T LIKE IT WHEN YOU TRY TO EAT FUEL RODS FROM A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT.**

**Let's find out what the rest of the Rising Stars are doing, huh?**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 17

Internships

"Not good enough!" Ryukyu roared as she smashed through the mines Yaoyorozu had set up to block her. A moment later, the intern was snatched up in the Dragoon Hero's massive claws. "And now you're dead."

Yaoyorozu hung her head. "I'm sorry. I can't use anything too dangerous for training, but what else am I doing wrong?"

Ryukyu put her down and then turned back to her human form. "For starters, you're not as focused as you were at the start of this week." She held up one hand when Yaoyorozu started to protest. "You're worried about your friends, and that's why I'm not that upset; you're young, and it's better to learn from this when no one was seriously hurt. Still, now that you know that they're fine, you need to center yourself again."

"I understand." Yaoyorozu bowed and accepted the bottle of water that Hado tossed her way. "What else can I do to improve?"

Now, Ryukyu smiled. "It's quite simple; while your strategies are varied in what you create, they're still one-dimensional. You're only targeting me from the front. I gave you plenty of time to set up traps, and you tried that, but only in the direction I was coming from. You could have set up timed explosives or other traps that could have impeded my movements, but on my sides, or even from behind if you timed it right. When I use my Quirk, it's hard for me to turn quickly when I charge."

"You also kinda fall apart when your plan doesn't work," Hado added. "You should be more flexible."

When Yaoyorozu thought about it, her mentor was right. Everything she'd done in training, the USJ attack, and the Sports Festival had all been responses to frontal attacks. With enough time to prepare, she could set up attacks from a dozen angles; her only limit was her supply of lipids, and her own creativity.

"I'll let you think about that while you get some food," Ryukyu said kindly. "After you're done, I want you and Nejire to spar for a little while." She gave her older intern an amused look. "No Quirks this time; you still need to work on close-quarters combat."

"Sure thing!" Hado chirped, and then hooked her arm around Yaoyorozu's. "Come on, I'll show you where Ryukyu keeps the chocolate. Some dragons hoard gold, Ryukyu hoards sugar."

"Hey, that's mine!" Ryukyu chased after her interns, who giggled as they ran.

It only took a minute for the 'chase' to end, but by the end, Yaoyorozu had cheered up significantly. Then again, it was hard to be anything _but _cheerful when Hado put her mind to it.

"So, any word from Izu-kun?" she asked as they ate.

"Not since yesterday," Yaoyorozu said. "He told us that he made it back to Hawks' Agency, but that's it. It's the same with Todoroki and Iida."

Hado pouted. "It's not fair. You get to hang out with him and all your friends every day, but I can only see Izu-kun once a week!"

After getting to know the older girl a bit more, Yaoyorozu had discovered that Hado was almost incapable of being serious. She was less wild when they'd gone on patrol, but she approached everything with almost childlike glee.

"Actually, we don't really 'hang out' that much," Yaoyorozu said. "Most of our time is focused on schoolwork, though we try to spend Sundays at my house."

Hado frowned as she tried to balance a cookie on one finger. "Yeah, that's one of the downsides of being a Hero—it's so _hard _to just kick back and have fun with friends! It's always work, work, work, all the time. Seriously, Mirio and Tamaki are two of my best friends, but we have to work super hard to spend time together."

"I suppose that's the price of being a Hero," Yaoyorozu said.

"No!" Hado stuffed the cookie in her mouth and shot to her feet. "No, we're gonna be different! We're gonna be Heroes who make the world so safe that we can spend a whole weekend with our friends if we want!"

Yaoyorozu had to admit that that sounded nice. As much as she wanted to be a Hero and improve society, her thoughts would drift to the times she and her friends had relaxed at her home. Reading, joking, watching movies—everything people _didn't _expect Hero students to do. But she had so much fun with her friends, and she was determined not to lose that.

"Well, if that's our goal," she said and stood up next to Hado, "then we'd best become the greatest Heroes we can be."

Hado grabbed the other girl in a hug and spun her around. "Yeah!" Both of them blushed when their stomachs growled. "But first, let's finish lunch."

…

Cellophane panted heavily as he swung after Air Jet; the Buster Hero was putting him through his paces, but he knew that it would only make him stronger in the long run.

"It's good to be back here," Air Jet said as they landed on a rooftop. "This is near where my old Agency used to be. Musutafu is a great place for newer Heroes to patrol; the crime rate is low, even by Japan's standards, and the area is beautiful in the spring."

"You know…" Cellophane paused and took a sip from his water bottle. "My friend lives around here. He told me that he used to see you around his neighborhood before you moved."

"That friend wouldn't happen to be one of the kids attacked by the Hero Killer, would he?" Air Jet asked.

"Actually, yeah." Sero leaned over the roof to look at the people below; some, who had noticed the pair, waved up and shouted greetings. One person in particular, however, caught his eye. "Hey, Air Jet, that lady doesn't look like she can see very well with those grocery bags in her face."

Air Jet followed his gaze. "Good eye, Cellophane. I'll let you handle watching over her; just make sure she gets across the street okay, and ask if she needs assistance."

"Will do!" With a leap and a strand of tape, Cellophane swung down to where the woman in question was reaching the crosswalk. "Excuse me, ma'am?"

The woman was pretty, and looked fairly young, but she wore clothes that wouldn't have been out of place on Sero's own mother. She also had hair that was a familiar shade of green, and eyes that were unmistakable.

_If this lady isn't related to Izuku, I'll eat my helmet. He never mentioned a sister, though._

The woman angled herself so that she could see him around the bags of groceries she carried. "Oh! I didn't realize we had a new Hero in the neighborhood."

Cellophane shook his head. "Sorry, I'm just an intern right now. I was just wondering if you needed help crossing the street? It looks like it's hard to see with those bags."

The woman smiled. "That's so thoughtful of you! I'd appreciate it; my apartment is only about half a block away, if you don't mind the walk."

Cellophane glanced back at Air Jet, who waved him off. "Shouldn't be a problem." He even offered to take one of the lady's bags, which she allowed, and they started walking.

"I don't know if you're allowed to tell me this," the woman said after they crossed the street, "but are you a UA student? I'm just curious, because my son goes to that school."

At that point, Cellophane had been all but convinced that this woman was related to Midoriya, but he was surprised that she was his mother. She looked too young.

"I am a UA student," he confirmed. "Your son wouldn't happen to be Midoriya Izuku, would he?"

The woman smiled brightly. "He is! Do you know him?"

"He and I are in the same class, actually." Cellophane bowed, a little awkwardly with the groceries in his hands. "My name is Sero Hanta; it's a pleasure to meet you, Midoriya-san."

Inko tilted her head in thought, but then her eyes dropped to his elbows; he could see something click. "Oh, I saw you during the Sports Festival! You did very well."

"Thanks, Midoriya-san." Cellophane chuckled. "At least I made it to the final event."

"And that's more than most students can say in the first year!" As they walked, Inko's smile dimmed. "I hate to sound like a worried mother, but have you heard from Izuku about what happened in Hosu? He told me he was fine, but the police weren't letting him tell me details."

"Sorry, I don't know much." Cellophane had tried to push his worries back, but faced with his friend's mother, they returned with a vengeance. "All I know is that everyone came out okay. Izuku was the least hurt, I think, and the worst injury just needed a few stitches."

Inko let out a breath. "Well, at least he's fine. I know he's capable of a lot, but I still worry."

"I get it," Cellophane assured her. "After what happened, I got a bunch of calls from _my _mom, and I wasn't even _in _Hosu!"

"Well, that's our job," Inko said. "Even when our boys become Pro Heroes, we're still going to worry."

_Note to self, _Cellophane thought, _make sure Izuku talks to his mom about everything. She's trying to act strong, but I can tell she's about to freak out._

A few minutes later, the pair arrived at the Midoriya home. Cellophane waited patiently outside, while Inko dashed back and forth to bring in the groceries.

"Thank you for your help," Inko said when they were done. "If this was just your first time training to be a Hero, then I think you'll be wonderful when you graduate."

Cellophane blushed behind his helmet. "Thanks, Midoriya-san. I have to get back to Air Jet, but I'll tell Izuku I ran into you; he'll flip!"

Inko laughed and waved as he jogged off. "Tell him I'm making pork cutlets when he gets home! It's his favorite!"

"Sure thing!" Cellophane smiled to himself. "If this is how it feels to just help people, I can't wait to be a Pro."

…

Alien Queen spun gracefully out of the way as the branch of the tree cracked and fell. As she came to a halt, she caught the kitten that was falling right behind the branch. A few civilians who had watched it happen clapped and cheered.

"Nice job, Alien Queen," Sky Dancer said as she hopped down from the tree. "That branch shouldn't have snapped like that, though."

The intern handed the kitten to its owner, a little girl that hugged the animal tightly and thanked her before running off.

"What do you mean?"

Sky Dancer tapped the tree with one finger. "It looks pretty healthy, but the branch broke as soon as I put my hand on it. It could be that it has a bacteria that's weakening the wood. When we get back, we'll submit a report to have an expert check it out; I'd hate to see all the trees in this park get sick."

Alien Queen had already liked Sky Dancer, but as they patrolled, she found herself respecting the woman a great deal. Sky Dancer was friendly and outgoing, but she was very responsible in her duties as a Hero.

"I approach being a Hero like I do with dancing," she had said, when Alien Queen had commented about it. "It's fun, yeah, but it's also a lot of work. Being a Hero is like mastering a dance routine; if you miss a step, it can throw the whole thing off, and you have to be the very best to recover without anyone noticing."

Another thing that Alien Queen liked was how easily her mentor explained everything. Ashido wasn't the best student, especially when the lessons were boring, but Sky Dancer had made almost everything relatable to dancing somehow, and that made it fun.

It also didn't hurt that it kept her distracted from worrying about her friends who had nearly died.

Sky Dancer must have seen something in her expression, because she put a hand on her shoulder. "You okay? Still thinking about your friends?"

"Yeah." She sighed. "I know they're okay, but it's so annoying that they can't tell me the details yet!"

Sky Dancer nodded. "Right now, just be thankful that nobody got seriously hurt, and Stain is finally off the stage." She smiled teasingly. "Hey, you mentioned all three of those boys were cute. Any of 'em really catch your eye?"

Alien Queen smiled. "All _four_ of the guys in our group are cute. Midori is adorable, but he's totally off the market, even if he doesn't know it yet; I'm pretty sure Tsu has dibs on Sero, so he's not an option, either. Iida's got a jaw that could cut glass, and Todoroki is that sexy loner type."

"Sounds like you've got options, but you didn't answer my question."

"Right. Um, I'm not really sure? I guess I'm just window-shopping right now." Yeah, she'd had a crush on Kirishima for a little while, but even though that boy was her friend, he was even more oblivious than Midoriya, so she wasn't sure about those feelings anymore.

"Well, let me give you some advice on that front." Sky Dancer skipped a few times through the air before landing again. "Don't make any hasty decisions, but when you _do _find the one you want, don't let them go if you can help it. I almost made that mistake when I met my partner."

During the time spent in Sky Dancer's office, Ashido had noticed a ring sitting in a bowl on her desk—it was apparently an unwritten rule that Heroes shouldn't take that sort of thing into the field—next to a picture. It was of Sky Dancer herself, but in regular jeans and a t-shirt, next to a shorter woman with dark hair and glasses. The two looked very happy together, and Sky Dancer made sure to tap the ring every time she left the office; she'd explained that it was like a lucky ritual, and a promise to come back.

"Then again," Sky Dancer went on, and ruffled her intern's hair, "you're too young to start thinking about this stuff right now. Hey, since our patrol is almost over, why don't we grab some ice cream on the way back? It'll make writing that report less boring, and then I can show you a few moves before calling it a night."

Alien Queen grinned. "Sounds great!"

…

Froppy didn't think of herself as a violent person by nature, and she certainly wasn't someone who vented her frustration through violence, but tonight was different. After all the perceived guilt of not finding out about her friends getting hurt until the next day, she needed an outlet. Fortunately for her, she got her chance when the drug smugglers were in her sights. They had tracked the smugglers to a larger ship earlier, but when Selkie had investigated it, he and a few of his other Sidekicks had been trapped in the ship's hold. Rather than ask for help and waste time, he had sent the rest of his team, including Froppy, after a smaller boat that was trying to get away; too bad for the criminals, they had been found out.

The first one was knocked out with a swift kick to the head. The second she put in a sleeper hold, and a third was dragged with her tongue into the waiting arms of one of Selkie's Sidekicks, an imposing man called Water Runner. Sirius, Selkie's first mate—the Seal Hero insisted on using nautical terms for everything in his Agency—was impressed.

"Good moves," she whispered, "but you might want to be aware of how much force you're using."

Froppy nodded; angry as she was, she still kept her self-control. "Right, sorry, ribbit."

Sirius, a kind young woman with blue hair and a sailor-themed costume that Froppy had bonded with quite easily, smiled. "Don't worry about it. This is why you're here, to learn. Now, we just need to check the smugglers' boat for anyone we missed."

As if on cue, a mass of tentacles blew open the door to the ship's lower deck, straight at Sirius and Water Runner. The Sidekicks were facing Froppy, and hadn't seen the attack coming, but Froppy did. She pushed Sirius out of the way with her hands, and Water Runner with her tongue at the same time.

Unfortunately, that left her wide open; two tentacles, both tipped with fists, smashed into her stomach. The air was forced from her lungs, and she was driven into the rocks the smugglers had been hiding behind.

"Froppy!" Sirius glared at the octopus-man who emerged on the deck. "Get him!"

The two Sidekicks charged; Sirius managed to get a couple of quick blows off on the man's face, while Water Runner tangled with the tentacles. However, Water Runner took a face full of ink, and then both he and Sirius were smashed to the deck; Froppy thought she heard a bone break.

"Stupid Heroes," the Villain spat. "You take down my crew, you face the consequences." He glared at Froppy, who was still catching her breath. "Shouldn't you still be at school, little girl?"

"Shouldn't _you _be in a bad pirate movie?" Froppy shot back.

The Villain's tentacles reared back as he registered the insult; the opening was only for an instant, but that was all Froppy needed to shoot her tongue right into his eye. The Villain staggered back and clutched at his face.

"Argh! You little—I'll kill you for that!"

"I have to disagree!" Both Froppy and the Villain turned to see a humanoid seal dressed in a wetsuit on the other side of the ship. His arms were crossed, and his expression was stern.

Froppy allowed herself to relax, just a little; now that Selkie was here, she had no doubt that this would be over soon.

… Except that she saw one of the Villain's tentacles reaching for Sirius, intending to use her as a hostage.

Froppy and Selkie moved at the same time. The former's powerful legs let her tackle Sirius out of the way, while the latter put his fist in the Villain's other eye. A few more punches, and the criminal was out like a light.

"Excellent work, everyone," the Pro Hero said as they tied the smugglers up. "Sorry it took me so long to get here, but escaping that trap took a while."

Froppy made sure the knots she'd been taught were secure before taking her eyes off the smugglers. "But how did you know where we were, ribbit?"

"Two things." Selkie held up two fingers and grinned. "First, I know these waters well; these rocks were the best place to hide until daybreak. Actually, this isn't the first time I've caught criminals here; the reason it isn't heavily patrolled is because we use it to trap smugglers. The second reason is that each of my crew has a homing beacon that I can track underwater—those pins we all wear. It pays to be prepared."

Froppy had seen the identical pins worn by everyone in Selkie's Agency, but only now realized their significance; she nodded. "Maybe I should do something like that with my friends, ribbit."

Sirius, who was tending to the injured Water Runner, looked at her. "The ones who were attacked by the Hero Killer, right? Did you get any more news about them?"

"Just that they're out of the hospital. I was really worried about them, ribbit."

"Your compassion is admirable, Froppy," Selkie said. "However, there's something you should know about being a Hero—this job is dangerous, yes, but we train extensively to deal with it. It's perfectly fine to be concerned for your friends' wellbeing, but constant worrying is a distraction you can't afford in the field, and a disservice to them as Heroes. You need to trust them to handle things, or at least make it out of a crisis alive."

Froppy took the man's words into consideration; she _did _respect and trust her friends, and everyone had walked away from the Hosu incident in one piece. Instead of beating herself up about this, maybe she could view it as a learning experience.

Seeing that what he'd said had made an impact, Selkie brought his hands up to his chin and smiled goofily. "Oh, goody!"

"Please don't do that, Captain," Sirius groaned. "How many times do I have to tell you that it's not cute?"

For the first time in days, Froppy smiled.

…

Todoroki meditated in the training room, completely focused on the flames shooting up from his forearm. The fire was held at about six inches tall, and more uniform, rather than a raging inferno; his goal was to maintain that kind of control, until his skill with fire was as great as his ice.

This kind of exercise was the only thing Endeavor allowed him to do for the rest of his internship. He had insisted that his son work like that because he was still healing, and Endeavor had to speak with the press about 'his' defeat of Stain. Had the man been anyone else, Todoroki would have thought his father was being overprotective.

Finally, after almost an hour of practice, Todoroki was bored. He cut his flames and pulled out his phone; it wasn't like there was anyone else around to tell him no. However, only one of his friends was active, so he set up a private chat. He could have simply texted, but he was too used to the messenger app at that point.

Snowflake: Hi, Mina, are you free?

Crayon: dude! How r u doin?

Todoroki had the tiniest smirk on his face; Ashido was a little more exuberant than he was used to, but she was easy to talk to.

Snowflake: I'm fine. I'll have my stitches out by the time we get back to school. I had the worst of it, so Izuku and Tenya should be 100% recovered. How about you?

Crayon: its been grate! Sky Dancer is awesome. We saved a cat in a tree today. Then we had 2 rite reports cuz the tree was sik

Snowflake: That sounds interesting. Aside from the Hosu thing, all I've done is train.

Crayon: boring

Snowflake: I know. Have you heard from anyone else?

Crayon: y Shoto, a pretty girl is paying attention 2 u. don't tell me u r not interested

Todoroki had been prepared for this. He had known Ashido long enough to know that she liked to flirt, and had come up with a plan in case she turned her attention to him.

Snowflake: Oh, I just figured you and I were meant to be.

Crayon: ahodksn WTF!?

Todoroki's smirk widened.

Snowflake: I mean, look at our hair. You're pink, I'm red and white. It's perfect.

Crayon: STAHP. The world is going sideways and I don't no how to handle it!

Crayon: r u messin w/ me?

Snowflake: A little. Turnabout is fair play, and I wanted to see what your reaction would be.

The fact that she was cute had absolutely nothing to do with it at all. Honest.

Crayon: my revenge will b swift and terrible

Snowflake: I'm sure it will.

Crayon: fear me!

Though he didn't realize it, Todoroki had a true smile on his face. It was small, but it was genuine. His new friends—and he was amazed how quickly they had gone from 'Midoriya's friends' to _his _friends—were the best entertainment he'd had in years.

…

"Hiyah!"

"Oof!"

The small group of Sidekicks winced as Uraraka got up and dusted off her hands, while her opponent remained on the mat. He was stunned and breathless after the suplex Uraraka had given him.

"Nice work," Gunhead commented. "The setup for that last move took a little long, but it was well-executed."

Uraraka beamed. "Thank you, sir!"

Gunhead wasn't done. "However, showy moves like that are really only good for tournaments, or if you're durable enough to power through any counters your enemy might make. A good punch to the kidney is just as good, and much faster to pull off. Besides, you need to grab your opponent with both hands to do that, and if you hit him with your Quirk, it reduces the effectiveness, because you're not using his own weight against him." He paused, and then addressed the entire room. "Also, who taught her how to do that?" The man on the floor wheezed and held up a hand. "Okay, yeah, you deserved that, which is why I'm only giving you ten laps after you get your breath back."

Uraraka's smile vanished. "I'm sorry, I was just asking around to see if someone could teach me a really powerful move."

"That's fine, and I approve the initiative to learn." Gunhead's mask hid his face, but Uraraka imagined he looked stern at that moment. "However, I'm here to teach you _efficiency_, and how to _survive_. That was the point of those disarming moves. Even if you _do _become good enough that you can afford to show off, I recommend against it. All it takes is overconfidence and a thug with a knife or a gun, and that's it." He shrugged. "That's why so many Heroes lost to Stain. I know a lot of them, and they were cocky. At least Ingenium took the Hero Killer seriously, which is probably why Stain didn't kill him."

Mentioning Stain removed what remained of Uraraka's good cheer. The Hosu incident had scared her even more than the USJ attack, even though she hadn't been close to the danger; if anything, finding out secondhand that her friends had been attacked had been far worse than if she'd been there in person.

Gunhead patted her on the shoulder. "If you take nothing else from this internship, remember to treat each fight like your life depends on it—even if it doesn't, someone else's life could. There's no place for showboating when lives are at stake, and any Hero who says otherwise doesn't deserve the title." He spoke up for the entire room again. "Okay, everyone hit the showers. Uravity, you stay behind for a minute."

"Sorry again, sir," Uraraka began, but Gunhead cut her off.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, not unkindly. "About your friends, I mean. You were pretty worried when you talked to that boy on the phone."

…

"Ochako? Hi, it's me—"

"_Are you okay, Izuku!?" Uraraka's voice cracked as she interrupted her friend. Yes, he had called only a few minutes after getting back to Hawks' Agency, but she was still worried after that first call from the hospital._

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. Nothing's changed since last time."

_Uraraka took a deep breath. "Good. I just wanted to be sure… because now I can be absolutely furious with you!"_

"What?"

"_The. Hero. Killer," Uraraka ground out. "You know what he's done to experienced Heroes, and you picked a fight with him!"_

"I didn't have a choice!" _Midoriya paused for a moment. _"I'm sorry, I can't tell you everything right now, but I promise that I had a good reason, and I'll explain everything when I see you."

"_You'd better, or I will send you into the sun!"_

Or kiss him, _a traitorous part of her mind thought. Uraraka shoved that away for now; she was supposed to be mad at him. He had definitely scared a few years off her life!_

"I'm… I'm really sorry, Ochako." _Midoriya sounded like he was about to cry, which was _not _fair, in Uraraka's opinion. _"I guess all of you are upset with us, huh? I'm sorry we worried you."

_Definitely not fair._

"_Look, Deku-kun, we're only upset because we were scared for you guys. I mean, you're one of the best friends I've ever had, and then I heard that you were attacked by a lunatic who _kills Heroes_." Uraraka sniffled; now _she _was on the verge of tears. "This is not how our first year of high school is supposed to go."_

"I'm sorry," _Midoriya said again._

"_Cut it out," she said. "Just… we're gonna be upset, but then we're gonna be happy you're okay, all right?"_

"Yeah. Yeah, okay." _Midoriya paused. _"I think I need to go. See you at school?"

_Uraraka rolled her eyes; as if that was actually in question. "Yeah, I'll see you in a few days. Bye, Deku-kun."_

"Bye, Ochako."

_After she hung up, Uraraka leaned back against the nearest wall, and she rubbed at her stinging eyes._

_Of all the boys she could have had a crush on, it had to be the one who got into the most trouble._

…

Uraraka blushed at the memory; Gunhead had been right outside and had heard her half of the conversation.

"I guess I'm still a little rattled," she admitted. "I think I'll feel better when I see them in person."

Gunhead nodded. "That's usually the case, especially with close friends." He gasped and brought a hand over where his mouth would be behind his mask. "Or is it… that one of them is _more _than a friend?"

Uraraka managed to blush in embarrassment and giggle at the same time. Gunhead had the tendency to act like a schoolgirl whenever they weren't training, and it was adorable, probably because it was so out of character for a man who looked like he ate entire platoons of soldiers for breakfast.

"We're just friends," she said.

Gunhead scoffed. "Please, I've known Pro Heroes that have been teams for years, and one only gets chewed out like that by their significant other, or someone who wishes they were."

Uraraka's face grew hot enough to catch fire, but didn't say anything.

"Oh, that's so _cute_!" Gunhead giggled, but then became serious again. "Here's another bit of advice for you, both in life and as a Hero: don't have any regrets. You got a scare when someone you care about—as more than a friend—was in serious danger. You don't want to live your life without telling him how you feel."

With that, Gunhead left, but Uraraka hardly noticed. She had a lot to think about.

…

"Keep stretching out that hand," Manual advised. "Carpal tunnel isn't fun."

"Why can we not just type all of these reports?" Iida asked as he massaged his hand. "Wouldn't that be more efficient?"

Manual waved his own hand in a so-so manner. "Kind of. The Public Safety Commission likes to have digital and physical copies of each incident report. For some reason, they want handwritten _and _typed physical copies, and we'll both have to sign everything in triplicate."

"It feels like Heroes are doing more paperwork than actually helping people," Iida complained.

"That's not true," Manual said. "However, as government employees, we have to uphold the bureaucracy." He smirked. "Also, your brother called and asked that I give you _some _kind of punishment for being so reckless. He suggested cleaning the toilets for the rest of your internship; we compromised by having you do all the paperwork."

Iida wondered if there was any way to fight Stain again. It had to be less of a hell than this.

…

"Good work, kid," Hawks called out lazily as he watched Jetray fly through a series of hoops, held aloft by some of Hawks' feathers. "Keep your turns sharp, and remember that you'll have to trade speed for accuracy. You'll want to keep that acceleration up as soon as you finish the turn."

"Got it!" Jetray shouted back as he pulled up and into what was less of a loop and more of a square. "Time!"

Hawks glanced at the stopwatch on his phone. "Eight seconds to complete the course. Did the package survive?"

Jetray looked at the egg held with one of his feet. "I think so… wait, no, there's a crack."

"We'll try it again one more time before the internship is over." Hawks sighed. "Okay, pack it in for now. You're almost at your time limit, right?"

As if on cue, the dial on Jetray's chest began to blink red, and he quickly landed on the roof before he turned back to normal.

"Your maneuverability is getting there," Hawks said. "I'm not worried about your overall speed, though. Short of someone with a warp-Quirk, Jetray might be the fastest thing on Earth."

If Ben hadn't been in recharge, Midoriya was sure he would have laughed. "Is there anything else I can do today?"

"Always so eager to improve, aren't you?" Hawks chuckled and led his intern inside. "Take it from me, appreciate the relaxation when you can."

Midoriya smiled. "When I'm the number-one Hero, and Villains are too afraid to even think about committing a crime, then I'll relax."

"Thinking about taking All Might's place, huh?" Hawks reached out and ruffled the boy's hair. "And surpassing me?"

"I don't want to take All Might's place." Midoriya's answer surprised Hawks, and if the way the boy blinked was any indication, he'd surprised himself, too. "All Might isn't something I want to be. I mean, I want to save people, but I never saw myself as the new Symbol of Peace or anything. I just… want to help people. And I want to make a world where we don't _need _some savior to fix everything." He suddenly started flailing his arms. "I m-mean, I don't th-think All Might isn't amazing, and I appreciate what he d-did for Japan, but—"

"I get it," Hawks interrupted gently. "All Might pulled us out of a dark time, and into a place of light. But now that we're here, where do we go? Is that where you're getting at?"

"I think so," Midoriya said. "I guess what you said about creating a world where Heroes have too much free time really stuck with me."

Hawks smiled; it wasn't his usual half-fake smile that he gave to reporters and civilians, and it wasn't his teasing smirk. Instead, it was genuine happiness.

"And here I thought I'd never be the one to inspire people," he said, and patted Midoriya's back. "All right, that's enough mushy stuff; let's go get something to eat."

…

When the internships ended, Midoriya was reluctant to leave. Hawks was a surprisingly insightful teacher; he was especially helpful with Midoriya's aliens that relied on speed or ranged attacks, though he also helped him with his slower aliens by showing how a fast opponent could beat them, and vice-versa.

"Thank you for all your help," Midoriya said after he finished packing, and bowed. "And for saving my life."

"No problem, kid." Behind Hawks, Takeda rolled her eyes and flicked him. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Show a little sincerity, boss," Takeda scolded.

"I _am _being sincere! It took me literally two seconds to save him!" Takeda reached out and grabbed his ear. "Ow, ow, ow! Okay, let go!" After using a few of his feathers to push Takeda away, he smiled at Midoriya. "Seriously, though, you were great this week. If you ever need a referral or something, call me. Oh, and if you don't somehow get your own Agency immediately after graduating, I'd be more than happy to take you on as a Sidekick for a while. It'd be nice to have one who can actually keep up with me."

Midoriya wondered if he was about to faint; the number-three Hero in Japan had basically just offered him a job, and he wasn't even done with his first year of high school! He bowed again, much deeper this time.

"Th-thank you!" he managed, and started to leave.

"Hey, kid… Midoriya." Hawks gently grabbed his shoulder. "Hang on a sec; I want to give you something."

Takeda handed the boy a small, unmarked box, and winked. "He called the manufacturer five times to make sure the measurements were perfect."

"Yuki!" Hawks whined. "Don't _tell _him that!"

"Gotta keep you humble somehow, sir."

With trembling hands, Midoriya opened the box. His eyes went wide when he saw the contents. Inside was a visor, exactly like Hawks', but tinted green instead of yellow. To him, it was more than just sharing a piece of gear; it felt like Hawks liked him enough—_respected _him enough—to declare that Midoriya was associated with him.

"I had them change the color," Hawks muttered, and Midoriya swore he sounded embarrassed. "Green seems to be more your thing, right?"

"Hey, I have an idea!" Takeda pulled out a camera. "Midoriya-kun, why don't you get back into your costume and give the add-on a try, and you two can have a picture together!"

"Yeah, why not?" Hawks grinned at his soon-to-be-former intern. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all!" Midoriya grinned back. "Can I show my friends?"

…

Hawks watched from his window as Midoriya got into the cab that would take him to the train station. His smile was long gone now; instead, he looked almost sad as he thought about the boy's future.

_I hope he keeps his head down after this, _he thought. _He's probably got too much attention on him already, and not the good kind._

"Hawks?" Takeda stood next to him; gone was her energetic smile, replaced instead with grim apathy. "The Board wants to speak to you."

_Damn it._

"Of course they do." Hawks sighed. "Can you at least tell me if this is about the kid?"

"Only partly." Takeda Yuki—alleged Antihero, but actually an operative for the Hero Public Safety Commission, and Hawks' handler—held out a nondescript cell phone. "For now, there's a mission regarding the League of Villains. You'll find more in the briefing."

Hawks grabbed the phone with slightly more force than was necessary. He was about to turn it on, but a thought occurred to him.

"Hey, Yuki, what do you think of the kid? I mean, really think of him. Do you think he'll be a Hero?"

Takeda shrugged. "It depends if he lives long enough. If you want to help him along, the Commission certainly won't stop you."

"But what do you think about him?"

Takeda met his gaze; Hawks' expression didn't change, but his wings tensed when he saw the unfeeling look in her eyes. Though she still had the name, Takeda Yuki wasn't home at the moment; her Quirk and other personality, Soldier, had taken over. He noticed a slight rippling underneath her clothes—she'd seen his wings move, and her own Quirk was ready to counter him. Hawks didn't take it personally; as befitted her other half, Soldier was trained to view any Quirk activation as a potential threat. The worst part was that Takeda herself had no idea that Soldier had an ulterior motive; she actually bought the story the Hero Public Safety Commission had cooked up for her own history.

"I think he'll make good bait if you fail in your mission."

Hawks' neutral expression morphed into something more determined. "Then I won't fail."

Soldier smirked, though there was none of the playfulness she had as Takeda. "That's the spirit."

…

After a long train ride, Izuku finally got home; he had barely made it through the door when his mother tackled him with a hug that drove the air from his lungs.

"IZUKU!" she wailed, and then spun him around, inspecting every inch of him. "Are you okay? Did the Hero Killer hurt you? Why didn't Hawks take care of you?"

After everything stopped spinning, Izuku gently interrupted. "I'm fine, Mom; Stain didn't even scratch me."

"Well, that's not _technically _true," Ben said. "I mean, he cut you in half. A few times, actually."

Inko looked between her son and the hologram. "Cut him in… cut him in… oh dear."

Thankfully, Izuku was able to catch her before the unconscious woman hit the floor. "Ben! That didn't help!"

Ben winced. "Sorry."

…

Midoriya made sure to arrive at UA nearly an hour early, where his friends were waiting. "Sorry I'm late, my mom was still really worried and—whoa!"

Todoroki and Iida stepped back to avoid the rush of five bodies crashing into their friend.

"You absolute idiot!" Yaoyorozu shouted, even as she tilted his head one way, and then another, as if looking for injuries. "How could you be so reckless!?"

"Yeah, man, you scared us half to death!" Sero added.

"I felt horrible for not finding out sooner, ribbit," Asui said. "Never do that again, Izuku!"

Ashido was crying as she hugged his arm. "If you ever want my forgiveness, you'd better buy me ice cream!"

At that point, Midoriya was about as flustered as he could get, though Todoroki and Iida were similarly stunned; they had been subjected to the same treatment just a few minutes earlier. The three boys knew that their friends weren't angry at them, but they had spent most of the week holding in what they'd wanted to say, and now it was all coming out at once.

Only Uraraka didn't shout or berate Midoriya. Instead, she just hugged him and rested her cheek on his shoulder. One of Midoriya's arms was still being tugged at by Ashido, but his other arm was free to hold Uraraka close.

_Her hair smells nice, _he thought as his head leaned against hers. _Like strawberries._

"I'm okay," he said, just loud enough for everyone to hear. "We're all okay."

…

There was a flash of green light, and two people stepped onto the beach.

"We have to hurry," the girl said. "We don't have much time."

"We have enough time to do this right," the man assured her. "We can grab him after school; no need to get the entire planet riled up."

"Screw this planet!" The girl punched a piece of junk and shattered it into pieces. "All that matters is the Ultimatrix."

"You heard Azmuth, we have twenty-four hours."

"Yeah, _and _he said that the prognosis becomes less certain every minute we delay! Let's just grab the watch and get out."

The man gave her a piercing look, and she took a few deep breaths.

"Are you good? Because I can do this by myself."

"I'm good."

The man nodded. "All we have to do is wait for him to go somewhere isolated, and we can grab him without witnesses. Worst-case scenario, we knock him out and take the watch."

"Can we make that our first option?" The girl grimaced at the trash all around her. "And do we have to hang out in this garbage?"

"You've walked through sewers, stop complaining." The man glanced at the sun. "We've got a few hours. Get ready, because we might only have one shot at this if diplomacy fails."

"We can't fail," the girl insisted. "Dad is counting on us."

**I'm letting you all know that updates will be slower for a while. A couple of days before posting this chapter, I suffered an injury that damaged my hands. It's not too serious, I think. I'm just going to let my hands rest for a couple of weeks.**

**So, we won't have long before the next half of this arc starts. Some of you guessed correctly who the strangers are, some of you were way off, but you'll get a full explanation over the next couple of chapters.**

**I know that this chapter was a little shorter than most of my others in this story, but it was just a quick peek into what the other Rising Stars were doing. Oh, and that description of Inko? She's been eating healthy and exercising for about a year now. I got into decent shape with half that kind of effort, so someone who is determined to keep up with and support her superhero son would probably do a lot better. Also, I like Mama Midoriya to be healthy and stuff.**

**Have I mentioned that I want there to be a whole lot of wholesomeness in this story yet? So many of my other stories are dark and grim, but with everything that's going on, I think we could use something that is a little uplifting.**

**Except for Takeda. I like the idea of someone having a sentient Quirk that actually turns them into a sleeper agent. Expect more of her later, along with her Quirk.**

**However, if you're a fan of darker stuff, please take a look at my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. There's action, mystery, and even humor, so go ahead and check it out on my website (link in my profile) or on Amazon! With all that's going on, we could all use something new to read.**

**You can also show your support through P-atreon (link in my profile). Every donation brings me a little closer to writing every hour of every day, sleep be damned. I'd much rather be doing that than searching for a job (and no one is hiring right now because of the pandemic).**

**And now, I'd like to thank my most generous Patrons:**

**Serious Muffins: jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, John Collins, Calleo, Casey Pak, Red Bard, Ultimatrix10, Shaolin Khalil, killroy225**

**Incredible Muffins:**** RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844**

**Ultra Muffins:**** Adam Costello, Jeffrey Perigo, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Midoriya returns to school, but hardly any time goes by before he's drawn into another crisis…**

**Stay safe out there.**

**Plus Muffin!**


	18. Family Matters, Part 1

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I'D TRADE AWAY EVERY CHANCE OF GETTING SUPERPOWERS IF IT MEANT CURING THE CORONAVIRUS.**

**So, the serial killer is gone, but now Midoriya has to face the next challenge: returning to high school!**

***screams of terror***

My Alien Academia

Chapter 18

Family Matters, Part 1

Midoriya was a mixed bag of emotions as he resumed classes on Monday. On the one hand, he was extremely uncomfortable from all the pointing fingers, stares and whispers on his way to class—everyone had heard the news that he, Todoroki and Iida had been attacked by the Hero Killer, and as far as the public was concerned, they had witnessed Stain's defeat.

There were a few people who knew the truth, however; after getting a promise from their friends to never share that truth, Midoriya, Todoroki and Iida took turns recounting how the fight really happened. There was no small amount of awe in their friends' faces, though Uraraka started shaking Midoriya again for 'being so selflessly stupid', as she put it.

Because of that, however, their five friends were unwavering in their support, and that gave Midoriya in particular the strength to walk into class with his head held high. He was even able to look his other classmates in the eye when they asked him questions.

"Hey, Midoriya, are you guys okay?" Mineta asked as they all filtered into the classroom.

Kaminari stood behind the tiny boy. "Yeah, you guys had a run-in with the Hero Killer! And also the League of Villains tried to kidnap you, Midoriya?"

While no one had seen the fight with Stain, more than a few people had managed to record the flying Nomu as it snatched up Midoriya. The police had already taken his statement, so he just repeated what he told them.

"I think Shigaraki is still mad because I beat that Nomu at the USJ," he said. "He seems like the kind of guy who holds a grudge."

"Thankfully, everyone was okay in the end, right?" Yaoyorozu cut in, while giving Kaminari and Mineta a warning look.

"Yeah, Hawks saved me before too much happened," Midoriya said, and then made sure to add in the untrue part of the story. "And Endeavor beat Stain after a couple of minutes."

"Come on, you have to know more details than that," Kaminari pleaded, only for Jiro to jab him in the side with one of her jacks. "Ow!"

"Leave the Vice Prez alone," she said, and then dragged Kaminari away by the ear.

Mineta watched them go, then huffed and glared daggers at Midoriya. "It's not fair."

"What isn't?"

"How come you get treated nice by all the girls?" Mineta asked. "You didn't even have to _do _anything!"

"He saved my life during the entrance exam," Uraraka commented with a blush.

"He saved us in the Shipwreck Zone," Asui reminded him.

"He's nice to pretty much everyone," Ashido chimed in, though she didn't count Bakugo.

Yaoyorozu gave Mineta the darkest glare she could. "And unlike _some _people, he is respectful."

Mineta scoffed. "Sounds boring."

Todoroki stretched and 'accidentally' created a piece of ice that fell down the back of Mineta's shirt.

"Ah! What the hell, Todoroki!?"

"Please don't try to corrupt Midoriya. You won't like the consequences."

Seeing that most of the strongest students in class were telling him off, Mineta finally gave up and headed back to his seat. Not that Midoriya noticed; at that point, he had buried his face in his arms and tried to hide his blush.

Thankfully, there was a new distraction in the form of Bakugo—more specifically, his hair. For the first time in his life, it wasn't spiky or messy; instead, it was neatly brushed, and if not for the expression of absolute _fury _on his face, Midoriya would have been hard-pressed to recognize him at all.

While Midoriya just stared, the rest of the class stared and then laughed. The vein pulsing on Bakugo's forehead started to turn an alarming shade of purple.

"Shut. Up," he snarled.

"S-sorry, man," Kirishima wheezed. "Well, n-no, I'm not sorry, it's too funny!"

"That stupid Agency brushed my hair so much that it got stuck like this!" Bakugo let out a muffled scream—somehow, his own rage forced his hair back into its usual spikiness. "Finally! Fuck!"

"All right, that's enough," Aizawa said as he shuffled into the classroom. "Internships are over, so it's back to your normal schedules." He waited about three seconds to make sure that, yes, everyone was seated and paying attention. "First off, hand in the homework you were assigned. If you didn't complete it or didn't do well enough, it might impact whether or not you'll be allowed to take further internships or work studies this year."

Some of the students looked worried as they handed in the work, including Ashido, until she caught Yaoyorozu's eye, and the other girl gave her an encouraging nod. She had gone over her friends' homework at the last second, and was positive that they had all done well enough to at least pass.

"Speaking of normal schedules, we've got a new kind of lesson for you today during Heroics," Aizawa continued. "Before that—Yaoyorozu, Hagakure." He looked both girls in the eye—or at least the general area of Hagakure's head. "Before Heroics, stop by the Support Department; they have something to offer for your costumes."

There was a quiet gasp from Hagakure, and Yaoyorozu looked intrigued. Her experience with Ryukyu had made her aware that, while she wasn't badly affected by negative reactions to her current outfit, a more modest costume—if that was indeed on the table—might be good for her image.

"But that's for later," Aizawa went on. "For now, let's get started."

…

Class went by as normal, but there was a short break before Heroics. Yaoyorozu walked quickly to the Support Department, followed by Hagakure, who chatted excitedly.

"I've been hoping for a costume that I could actually wear for so long!" the invisible girl said. "I mean, I figured I'd have to wait until they could manufacture a suit from my hair, but that would take _forever_, especially since I keep my hair short."

Yaoyorozu glanced at her—or, well, her floating uniform that presumably had her in it. "How short do you keep it?"

"Around Uraraka's length, but it's kinda hard to say exactly, even for me." Hagakure sighed. "It sucks that _I _can't see my own hair, but at least I can go to school with a bad hair day and no one will notice."

Considering how much time Yaoyorozu could spend on her own hair, she envied her classmate a little. "I hope your costume works, but I'm still not sure what they are offering me. Self-repairing cloth is generally very thin, and I don't think I'm daring enough to wear something like Midnight-sensei's costume."

"And then you'd be stared at even more by Mineta." Hagakure made a gagging sound. "Another good thing about being invisible."

The conversation drifted over to the internships. Hagakure was a little reluctant to go into detail, but that was because she'd had to perform close surveillance of the leader of a small gang, which had ended up with her watching him in the shower.

"I mean, he was hot, but still…" Hagakure's uniform ruffled, and Yaoyorozu realized she'd shuddered.

Thankfully, they reached the Support Department before Hagakure had to relive anything more traumatic. They opened the door, and Yaoyorozu ducked as something whizzed through the area that had once been occupied by her head. From the way the object dug a crater on the far wall, she was glad she'd ducked.

"Dammit, Hatsume! What did I tell you about loading that thing before we moved it to the testing area!?"

"Sorry, Power Loader-sensei!" A familiar voice called back. "I thought I saw an error in the calibrations, so I thought I'd test-fire with a smaller object."

"We weren't even supposed to test it today!" Power Loader, a skinny man wearing jeans and enormous gloves—and what looked like pieces of construction equipment on his arms and head—noticed that the door was open. "Please tell me no one got hurt."

"I'm fine!" Hagakure said cheerfully.

"I'm not hurt, but I think I need to sit down," Yaoyorozu admitted shakily, and her classmate helped her to a chair, but she had barely sat down when Hatsume was suddenly in her personal space, and she jumped back. Hatsume was covered in oil stains, and she hefted what looked like an oversized air cannon over her shoulders.

"Hey, you're the two who are testing my new babies!" She grinned madly. "Well, technically they're both the same baby, just modified differently."

"Hatsume, please let _me_ explain," Power Loader said. "Just get the stuff ready, okay?"

"Sure thing!"

"She means well," Power Loader said as the girl ran off, "but she's a bit…"

"We understand," Yaoyorozu said. "We all saw her during the Sports Festival."

"Oh, good, that means I don't have to explain." Power Loader cleared his throat. "Anyway, you were called here because of changes to your costumes."

"Can't change what you don't have," Hagakure muttered petulantly.

"Right, sorry. So, you both requested certain attributes for your costumes that we just couldn't apply at first. Thankfully, Hatsume had a breakthrough."

"Yes, I did!" Hatsume said proudly as she burst into the room with two metal briefcases. "Well, technically, I was inspired by that boy who won the Sports Festival. His watch gave me all kinds of neat ideas for adaptive technology!"

Hagakure leaned over to whisper to Yaoyorozu. "If Midoriya is the reason I'm getting an actual costume, I will fight Uraraka if it means I can kiss him."

"Let's start with you, Hagakure-san." Power Loader took one of the cases and opened it up. Inside was a pair of pants, slipper-like boots, and what looked like a thin jacket. Each article of clothing was made of a shimmering, silvery material. "Before I explain, I'd like you to try these on. There's a changing room in the back. When you're done, there's a button on the inside of the collar; press it twice, then hold it down for five seconds."

"Okay!" Hagakure dashed off, and returned a few moments later. The clothes clung to her tightly, but not so much that she didn't have freedom of movement. A sleeve reached up and tugged at the collar; after about fifteen seconds, the arm came back down. "It's still visible…"

"Just give it a sec," Power Loader said. "It's reading your skin cells and adjusting accordingly."

As if on cue, the clothes flashed through several different spectrums of light, and then became as invisible as their wearer.

"Oh…" Hagakure was quiet, and she sounded almost on the verge of tears. "Oh."

"Yep!" Hatsume held her arm out in front of her until she found Hagakure's shoulder. "It's woven nanotechnology, with each nanite in your outfit programmed to match the frequency of your body! You can also make it visible again by repeating the process with the button. Oh, and it also insulates against heat and cold; not fire or ice, but you'll be comfortable in all seasons!"

Hagakure sniffed, and then moved; from the way Hatsume suddenly leaned, and the imprints on her clothes, Hagakure was hugging her.

"Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome!" Hatsume beamed. "I'll give you the technical specs later, but the short version is that you've now got an invisible suit!"

"And now for you, Yaoyorozu-san." Power Loader held out the other case. "It wasn't in your initial request, but I received a report from the USJ that your Quirk destroyed your first costume, and you had to make a new one, correct?"

Yaoyorozu nodded; only Jiro would have known about that, so even if she and Midoriya were only partially responsible for her new costume, she was giving both of them a big hug.

"Obviously, that affects your lipid count, so this is both for practicality and decency." Power Loader opened the case and pulled out a bodysuit that was the same color as her previous costume. Instead of a yellow belt across the chest, there was a small yellow knob at the base of the throat. "Go and try it on, and then we'll test the special features."

Yaoyorozu went into the changing room and slipped on the costume. It was snug, and the mirror inside the room gave it a look that suggested she'd been poured into the suit. A pair of boots had also been provided, but other than the soles, they seemed to be made of the same material as the rest of the costume. There were no sleeves, but she wondered how she would use her Quirk through her legs without destroying the lower half, not to mention anything she made from her torso.

"Looking good, Yaomomo!" Hagakure cheered, her outfit visible once again so that everyone knew where she was.

"Okay, so first, you're going to activate the security feature for the nanotech in your costume," Power Loader said. "Hold one finger against the yellow part and start talking for about twenty seconds. Part of this is voice-activated, because there was no way to fit in all the commands into the nanotech itself, and this way, it won't fall into the wrong hands."

Yaoyorozu held her right forefinger to the knob and started reciting all the elements of the Periodic Table. After she was done, the knob pulsed with light for a moment.

"Great!" Hatsume was bouncing in excitement. "Now, use your Quirk. Doesn't matter what you make, just so long as it tears the fabric!"

"You… want me to destroy part of the costume?"

Hatsume grinned. "Yep!"

After seeing Power Loader nod, Yaoyorozu humored them and created a metal pole from her thigh. The pole burst through the fabric and fell to the ground with a clang, but Yaoyorozu hardly noticed; she was busy staring at the hole in her costume, which sealed up and vanished as if it had never been there.

"The nanotech is programmed to reconnect if it's separated out of its preprogrammed shape," Power Loader explained. "You can even hold parts that were completely removed to the rest, and it'll break it down and redistribute it."

Yaoyorozu was impressed; nanotech had been created decades ago, but interest in the technology had fallen to the wayside with the advent of Quirks. Most scientific breakthroughs focused on Quirk-related functions; it was theorized that, had Quirks not manifested, humans would have colonized the moon, and maybe even farther by now.

"Thank you so much," she said, and bowed.

"Wait, there's more!" Hatsume held out a silver bracer that went halfway up Yaoyorozu's forearm; on one side was a blank screen. "You use that book to figure things out, right? Ugh, that's so old-fashioned! This is a modified tablet that can bring up the molecular composition of almost anything! The internet is a great tool, isn't it?"

"There are a few things you won't be able to look up," Power Loader added. "We don't exactly want you to start building missiles or nerve gas." He shrugged when Yaoyorozu looked hurt. "I don't think you would, of course, but better to not have the temptation, or have such information fall into the wrong hands. This tech _is _pretty cutting-edge, after all."

"I understand."

"Oh, and there's one other thing!" Hatsume turned on the bracer and pressed a few buttons on the touch-screen. There was a slight itch as the leggings on Yaoyorozu's new costume retracted up to her upper thigh. "Ta-da! Summer edition!" She pressed another button, and the leggings returned to normal, and the entire costume started to warm up. "Winter edition! And everything in between! You can even use this to program designs in the nanotech for fashion purposes!"

Yaoyorozu was amazed; she could admit that she was far above average when it came to intelligence, but Hatsume's designs were beyond anything she could have imagined.

_Still, it feels like something is missing…_

"Excuse me, is my old costume still available?" she asked. "There's something I'd like to keep."

"Sure, no problem." Power Loader handed her a form. "Just jot it down so the school knows."

Yaoyorozu did so, and then accepted the bracer from Hatsume and put it on her left arm. She looked down at her new costume, and an idea came to mind.

_I can change the design, huh? Ryukyu might have inspired me to be more modest, but that doesn't mean I can't be a little daring._

…

By the time Heroics rolled around, most of Class 1-A was starting to get worried when two of their number wasn't with them to get into their costumes.

"I hope there wasn't a problem," Midoriya said as he put on his new visor, which earned appreciative looks from many of his classmates. Some of them had seen the picture he'd taken with Hawks, but it was another thing altogether to see it in person.

_He looks cute without it, and cool with it, _Uraraka thought, and then remembered to respond to his comment.

"I'm sure they're fine," she said. "Even if there's a problem, they could just go back to their old stuff."

"Hey, my 'old stuff' was just gloves and boots!"

Everyone jumped when they heard Hagakure's voice, and then jumped again when her costume shimmered into existence.

"Whoa, that's cool!" Ashido said. "They finally got you a costume!"

"Yeah, isn't it great!" Hagakure spun in place to show them the outfit. "Yaomomo should be here in a minute; she's fiddling with some stuff."

"I'm here!" Yaoyorozu called out as she jogged over. "I'm not late, am I?"

For a moment, no one reacted; they were too busy staring. Yaoyorozu's costume was far more modest than her previous one, but the way it hugged her figure left little to the imagination. There was only one reminder of how revealing her last costume was—an open circle that exposed a small amount of cleavage. She had also retained her yellow belt-skirt, minus the shelf that had held her book.

"Damn, Yaomomo," Jiro commented. "How did you get hotter with _more _on?"

Mineta opened his mouth to say something, but Dark Shadow emerged from Tokoyami and put his hand on the small boy's face.

Yaoyorozu blushed. "Th-thank you, Jiro-chan, but we should probably head to class before we're late."

Uraraka noticed that Midoriya was staring at the Class President, and was a little red-faced. Fighting to keep her jealousy from showing, she gently grabbed his arm and tugged him along.

"Come on, Deku-kun, this lesson is being taught by All Might!"

Midoriya nodded, and finally regained his composure.

He was a teenage boy, so sue him.

…

All Might was as bombastic as ever, laughing with good cheer as the students arrived. "You all look raring to go! And young Hagakure, it's nice to see that you've got a real costume!" Hagakure bounced in place as she waved at him. "I hope you learned a great deal during your internships, because today's lesson is a bit of a curveball.

"Sometimes, during a crisis, you won't be able to tell the difference between a terrified civilian and a criminal who's only acting. Only the daring, or the foolish, stand there and laugh at their handiwork. The most dangerous of them will be long gone by the time Heroes arrive on the scene, and some of them will have never been there in person. Most cases, however, you'll see them pushing away from the crowd; in this lesson, your goal will be to apprehend the Villain, while also making sure not to harm the civilians.

"Each of you will take turns as the Hero and the Villain, while everyone else will be the civilians. Think of it like a game of tag; you only need to touch the Villain in order to capture them. But, there's a catch! The Hero won't know which of you is the Villain; the Villain will get away if he or she can successfully avoid identification for five minutes, or make it to the evacuation area before being captured. Quirks are allowed, but only for the purposes of evasion or pursuit—that means no attacking each other! Young Midoriya, you'll be the first Hero; please wait on the other side of the area until you hear the buzzer."

Midoriya nodded, and then jogged off; the test grounds for today, Ground Gamma, simulated an industrial center, with pipes and circular structures forming a natural maze. For anyone with limited mobility, it was a nightmare; thankfully, Midoriya could fly if he needed to. He was thankful of his aerial practice with Hawks, because as soon as the buzzer sounded, followed by a cloud of smoke, he transformed into Jetray and flew into the air in a perfect takeoff. However, a thought came to him, and he turned into Ghostfreak halfway to his destination and became invisible.

He arrived at the 'disaster' site, which was a crater in the ground to simulate an explosion. Most of his classmates were pretending to be panicked civilians, but either put no effort into it, or turned it into a joke by overselling it.

_Come on, be observant, _Ghostfreak told himself. _Which of them is acting weird, or trying too hard to be casual?_

It turned out to be easier than he thought; Ashido kept looking around, trying—and utterly failing—to keep from giggling. She also kept glancing at the escape zone, as if waiting for a chance to run for it.

Ghostfreak quietly flew behind her and tapped her shoulder. She turned around just as he became visible again.

"Boo!"

Ashido shrieked and jumped back; she instinctively hurled a glob of acid at him, but he turned intangible at the last second.

"Damn it, Midori!" she shouted. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry," Midoriya said as he turned back to normal.

"And it was all for nothing," Shoji commented, one of his tentacle-mouths curled up in a smile. "Asui has almost escaped."

Midoriya whirled; sure enough, Asui was hopping as fast as she could towards the exit. By the time Midoriya activated the Ultimatrix, Asui had escaped.

"Damn it," Midoriya said, and slumped. "I thought Ashido was the Villain."

Ashido patted him on the shoulder. "Nope. I guess I'm just bad at acting casual?"

Sero laughed. "Yeah, between Tsu, Todoroki, Tokoyami and Shoji, they're the best at being unreadable. You got some bad luck there, dude."

"It was more than bad luck, young Sero," All Might said as he rejoined them. "Young Midoriya, that Ghostfreak form was perfectly silent and completely invisible. You had more than enough time to observe the crowd and give you a better idea of who the Villain was. However, your reaction time was much better; now, you just need to find a balance between that and your analytical mind."

"You're right, All Might-sensei," Midoriya admitted. Maybe there were some disadvantages to Hawks' strategy of doing everything as quickly as possible. "Hey, Hagakure-san? Do you think you could give me some pointers about being invisible?"

Hagakure raised one arm, but her hand was still invisible; still, Midoriya got the feeling she was giving him a thumbs-up. "No problem!"

"It warms this old man's heart to see you students helping each other." All Might let out a hearty laugh. "All right, let's move on to the next match!"

The rest of the lesson went by smoothly. Ashido and Uraraka had been unable to discern who the Villain of their rounds were—both were unlucky enough to have Shoji and Todoroki, respectively—but when it was their turns to be the Villains, each of the Rising Stars were able to either fool their opponent or get away.

Sero managed to bluff his way through Kaminari, and even deflected his suspicions towards Tokoyami for a while. By the time Kaminari had realized he'd been tricked, Sero was home free. When he was the Hero, he simply overshot with his tape, and then reeled himself in to tag Mineta.

Though she'd had less success for the Hero part of the lesson, Uraraka had done better as the Villain. She had simply used her Quirk on herself and propelled forward in a gravity-removed arc, far outside of Jiro's reach. She then canceled and reapplied her Quirk several times to safely lower herself to the exit. The best part was that she was only a little nauseous after landing.

Ashido had had the easiest escape, and also the most motivation. Her opponent had been Mineta; Ashido had just sprinted ahead of him.

Yaoyorozu had also made a break for it, but with Tokoyami and Dark Shadow right behind her, she created a trail of flashbangs from her back—and everyone noticed that her new costume repaired itself as soon as it was damaged—that disoriented the former and disabled the latter. When she was the Hero, she used the same quick-drying cement she'd utilized against Bakugo to literally stop Kirishima in his tracks.

After escaping Midoriya as the Villain, Asui had equal success as the Hero. Aoyama had managed to evade her attempts at capture at first, but he overdid it with his Navel Laser and fell to his knees. He was still clutching his stomach when Asui tagged him, which turned into a sympathetic pat on the back.

Todoroki had easily blocked off Sato's escape with a wall of ice, but his friends were pleased to note that he wasn't so emotionless about it. He even made awkward small-talk with Sato as they rejoined the class.

Iida had very nearly lost both his attempts, but a last-second Recipro Burst had got him close enough to tag Kaminari. When it was his turn to be the Villain, and he saw that his opponent was Hagakure, he didn't hesitate to book it with a Recipro Extend. That had also easily netted him the record for fastest escape.

When it was his turn to be the Villain, Midoriya just waited until Kirishima got close, then turned back into Ghostfreak and simply floated to the exit. He didn't even turn invisible, just intangible so that Kirishima was unable to tag him.

After that, the lesson was over, and the students were dismissed to the locker room to get changed. As Midoriya pulled off his hoodie, Kaminari walked up to him.

"Hey, Midoriya, can I ask you a question about today's lesson?"

"S-sure, what's up?"

Kaminari shrugged. "How come you didn't try to bluff your way past Kirishima? No offense," he quickly added to the redhead, "it's just that you're not exactly the suspecting type."

Midoriya sighed. "I'm n-not exactly good at k-keeping my calm. I thought I'd have better luck just escaping."

"And you did great," Kirishima praised. "That Ghostfreak form of yours makes it impossible to catch you! Kinda wish we could have had a manly battle to see if we could escape, though; I want another go at you when you're Four Arms!"

"A-actually, I have another form that might be good for s-strengthening y-your Quirk," Midoriya said, looking down at the Ultimatrix. "It's good for a straight-up brawl, and y-you might be the only p-person in our class who can take a hit from him."

At first, Kirishima grinned in excitement, but then he saw that Midoriya was more nervous than usual. "What's wrong with that one?"

"Er…" Midoriya glanced at Ben, who knew which alien he was thinking about and was laughing. "I get really angry when I use him… and kind of stupid."

Sato chuckled as he put on his shirt. "Sounds like me when I use my Quirk."

Across the room, Bakugo pretended not to listen to Midoriya, but he was actually paying close attention. _Some of his forms change his personality, huh?_

Of the male part of Class 1-A, only one student was genuinely not paying attention to the conversation. Instead, he was focused on his own discovery.

"Psst!" Mineta waved to get the boys' attention. "Guys! You'll never guess what I found!"

"Your sense of common decency?" Todoroki asked blandly.

Mineta leered. "Never gonna happen. No, see this poster?" He pointed to the poster in question. "See, behind this poster is a hole. Do you know what's on the other side of this hole?"

From the look on Mineta's face, Midoriya suspected he wouldn't like the answer.

"It's the girls' locker room!" Mineta grinned lecherously. "Someone must have drilled a hole to peek in on the ladies! It's the jackpot!"

The other male students looked at him with disgust, anger, or a combination of both. Even Midoriya was tempted to hurt the smaller boy. How could he be so disrespectful to the girls? They deserved better than to be watched as they took off their…

Unbidden, an image of Uraraka popped into his mind; she was slowly peeling off her costume—

Midoriya bit the inside of his cheek as hard as he could to snap out of it. Yes, the girls in his class were attractive, and yes, he might have a crush on Uraraka, but he would be damned if he sank to Mineta's level! He shared a glance and a nod with Todoroki and Sero, and the three sprang into action. Sero wrapped up Mineta with his tape and dragged him off, while Todoroki put his hand over the hole Mineta had discovered and started to fill it with ice.

"We're really sorry about him!" Midoriya shouted before the hole closed up, and he helped Sero drag Mineta away.

…

On the other side of the wall, the girls of 1-A collectively smiled. They had heard the commotion, and Midoriya's apology.

"Can I just say right now that I'm glad the rest of the boys aren't like Mineta?" Hagakure huffed as she put her skirt on. "How has he not been expelled yet?"

Yaoyorozu scowled and finished putting on her own clothes. "Because he's very good at not crossing that line, especially in front of a teacher. If he ever does that, and we provide evidence, he'll be gone in a heartbeat."

Ashido leaned down to the hole in the wall, now plugged with ice. "Darn it, I was kinda hoping to get a look at the boys." She grinned at the looks the other girls were giving her. "What? Even if they weren't ripped before, all the exercise we do is getting them shredded."

While Yaoyorozu berated her pink friend, Uraraka couldn't get Ashido's words out of her head. The image of Midoriya without a shirt kept popping up, with the muscles of a Greek god. The worst part was that he kept himself hidden with loose clothes, so for all she knew, he _was _that chiseled.

_That's not fair, _she thought, _he can't be cute and hot at the same time!_

Asui tapped her on the shoulder. "Ochako, are you okay?"

Uraraka jumped. "Y-yeah! I'm fine! Totally fine. Why would you ask if I wasn't fine? I'm completely fine!"

Asui gave her a flat stare; her gaze flitted to Ashido, and then the iced-over hole. "Sure you are, ribbit."

…

"Looks like school's over."

"Yep."

"Can we grab him now?"

"Not yet. He's saying goodbye to his friends. We'll take him when he gets home; his mom is at work right now."

"Good. Let's get this done."

…

Midoriya was in a good mood as he got home; though he hadn't gotten the highest score in Heroics, he definitely hadn't done the worst, and he had learned plenty. Now he just needed to get his homework done, and then he could spend the rest of the evening messaging his friends and finish reading an interesting article on the first generation of Pro Heroes. He'd already read it twice, but it was still an enjoyable read, and it was more for Ben's sake than his own.

He had barely touched the door when hand covered in a black glove grabbed his wrist.

"Sorry, kid," an unfamiliar voice said. "We need to talk. Let's go somewhere private."

Everything became a blur as Midoriya was pulled away from his home at incredible speeds. When the world came back into focus, he recognized the heaps of trash; he'd been taken to Dagobah Beach in less than two seconds!

As his brain caught up with him, he looked up into the face of his kidnapper. He didn't recognize him, but he didn't look Japanese; he was at least six inches taller than Midoriya, with messy blonde hair. He wore a green knee-length coat with black flame designs on the hem and ends of the sleeves, over a black shirt; he also wore dark-green pants and black boots.

But it was his face that really got Midoriya's attention. His eyes were a cold grey, and his hair was the wrong color, but he looked almost exactly like the Ben he knew, albeit a few years older.

"Wh-who are you?" Midoriya asked. "What do you want with me?"

"Like I said, we need to talk." The man finally released his iron grip and took a step back. "We just needed some privacy."

"W-we?"

The air shimmered, and then a girl appeared next to him. "Yeah. You really need to pay attention, kid."

"To be fair, you _were _invisible," the man pointed out.

"That's his problem, not mine."

While they bantered, Midoriya got a look at the girl. She couldn't have been more than a few years older than him, with shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes; she was around Midoriya's height, but living in a world of Quirks meant that Midoriya couldn't underestimate her. She wore a dark-red bodysuit that had short sleeves; it was accented by a thick blue line up both sides, a dark-blue belt around her waist, and an inverted omega on her chest. She also had strange red earrings that looked vaguely familiar…

And, much to his shock, she had a red Ultimatrix on her left wrist. Other than the color, the only difference between hers and his was that hers had a roughly triangular crest with an S over the dial.

"You done sizing us up?" the man asked him. "Sorry, you weren't exactly subtle, and you were muttering about half of your observations."

"S-sorry, it's a habit." Midoriya frowned. "Wait, why am I apologizing? You kidnapped me!"

"I prefer to calling it 'borrowing without permission'."

"Can we stop messing around?" The girl scowled up at her partner, and then at Midoriya. "We're here for the Ultimatrix. Give it to us, and we won't hurt you."

The man sighed. "Jen, we really need to work on your social skills."

"Screw my social skills," the girl, Jen, snarled and grabbed the Ultimatrix on Midoriya's arm. "Give me the watch!"

Ben, who had been tense at Midoriya's side the whole time, blinked. "Aggressive action toward device detected. Activating failsafe."

There was a flash of green light, and then the girl was sent stumbling back after Four Arms punched her in the face.

The man facepalmed. "Okay, I guess we're doing this now. Are you happy, Jen?"

"Actually, I am." Jen grinned at Four Arms, but there was nothing friendly about it. "Now I have excuse to beat you bloody and take that watch."

Jen _moved_; one second, she was twenty feet away, the next, she was right in front of him. Her first punch sent him flying fifty feet into the air; the next connected right before he hit the sand and drove him into a rusted washing machine.

Four Arms winced, and then gasped as he tried to get air back into his lungs. Four Arms was tough, but whoever Jen was, her strength was far beyond what he could take.

_She has multiple Quirks, _he thought as he staggered to his feet. _Her speed could be a byproduct of her strength, but she could turn invisible. Wait, she has an Ultimatrix. Is she from Ben's universe? If that's the case, the rules about Quirks might not apply here. I'll have to slow them down so that I can escape and find a Pro Hero. These two are dangerous, and I need to be safe before I can find answers._

He slapped the dial on his chest, and transformed into a humanoid lizard with blue skin and a hunched posture. He wore a dark-blue jumpsuit, with the Ultimatrix dial on his chest.

"ARTICGUANA!"

"Oh, great, he's shouting the names," Jen grumbled.

The man, who was now sitting on a broken-down car, laughed. "I think it's cute."

"You _could _help me, you know!"

"Nah," the man said and leaned back. "You're doing fine on your own, really."

Articguana fired a cryo-beam from his mouth, hoping to hit Jen while she was distracted. However, her incredible speed kicked in, and she leaned out of the way. Unfortunately, her relaxed companion was directly behind her, and suddenly found himself trapped in a block of ice.

"Um…" Articguana and Jen glanced at each other and spoke at the same time. "Whoops?"

Jen darted forward and dodged another ice-beam, and then drove her knee up into Articguana's chin. He felt a few of his teeth loosen as he flipped through the air and landed in a pile of trash; before the concussion set in, he slapped the dial again and turned into Swampfire.

"Okay, that really hurt," he said as he healed up. "Are you trying to kill me!?"

Jen actually looked offended at that. "Of course not! But I _am _taking the Ultimatrix."

The girl launched herself at him again; Swampfire brought up his arms to defend himself, only for someone to appear between him and his attacker. There was a muted _boom _as Jen's fist crashed into her friend's open hand. The shockwave still bowled Swampfire over, but the man was hardly affected; his coat fluttered a little, but that was it.

"I think you've made your point," he said gently. "Can we _please _try it my way now?" He glanced back at Swampfire, and then brushed some frost off his shoulder. "That was unpleasantly cold, by the way."

Jen took a deep breath, and then stepped back. "Fine. You get one shot, Ken—if he still doesn't give up, I'm taking that watch."

"If he doesn't give up, I'll take it myself." The man, Ken, glanced back at Swampfire, who was reached for the dial again. "No, none of that. Ultimatrix, emergency override, Code Ten."

Ben appeared in front of Swampfire; from the way Ken and Jen blinked, they could see him now.

"Override recognized." Ben's voice was completely toneless, which unnerved his friend.

"Initiate shutdown," Ken commanded. "Bloodline authorization."

Just like that, Ben vanished, and Midoriya turned back to normal. He did a double-take between Ken and the Ultimatrix.

"What did you do to him!?" Midoriya demanded.

Ken raised an eyebrow. "Huh. More concerned about the tutorial program than yourself." He shook his head. "Not important right now. Unlike certain little sisters I could name, I just want to _talk_."

Jen huffed, but didn't refute anything he said.

Had he not been so scared, Midoriya would have paid more attention to the fact that his would-be kidnappers were now speaking English. He could understand the language well enough, but—oh, right. He remembered that the Ultimatrix also acted as a translator. Since it was offline, he had to figure out what was being said the hard way.

Midoriya backed up until he was touching another wrecked car. "Wh-what do you want to talk about?"

"That watch, for one thing," Ken said, gesturing to the Ultimatrix. "See, it holds the key to saving our dad's life."

"Our dad is the real Ben Tennyson," Jen cut in, "not that hologram you've got."

"We don't really have time for all the details," Ken continued. "The short version is that our dad is dying, and the only thing that can keep him alive is inside that watch."

Midoriya glanced down at the Ultimatrix. "Why didn't you just say so?"

Ken rolled his eyes and lightly flicked his sister's head. "See? I told you we could talk it out."

Jen scowled at him. "Oh, shut up. I have a lot of aggression to work out right now."

"Anyway, that's why we're here," Ken said. "We need the Ultimatrix to save our dad. Now, I'm being nice, but we have three options going forward. Option one, you hand over the Ultimatrix, we head back home, get Dad fixed up, and give you back the watch when we're done. Shouldn't take more than a few hours, maybe a day."

"Option two," Jen said as she crossed her arms. "We fight you again for the watch. Since you can't use it anymore, that'll be a short fight. We'll take the Ultimatrix, and you'll never see us, or it, ever again."

Midoriya gulped. "A-and… option three?"

Ken smiled. "You come with us, and we prove just how badly we need the Ultimatrix. Besides, after Dad's better, I'm sure he'll want to talk to you in person. It's not every day you meet someone who meets the criteria to be worthy of that watch. Also, he'll probably want to thank you." The smile faded. "Please. I'm asking for your help." He paused for a moment. "Here, a gesture of good faith—Ultimatrix, override, Code Ten. Reactivate."

"_Reactivation successful," _Ben's voice said. _"Resuming normal functions."_

Ben flickered into view, blinked, and then turned to Midoriya. "What did I miss? Are we still fighting?"

"N-no, I don't think so." Midoriya started to reach for the Ultimatrix's dial, but then stopped. "They want my help to save the real Ben Tennyson."

Ben's only sign of surprise was to blink again. "All right. What do you want to do?"

Midoriya wanted to think about it, but he was honest enough with himself to know what option he'd choose. Someone needed help—more than that, someone was _asking _for help. What kind of Hero would he be if he said anything except…

"Okay, I'll help you." Midoriya looked at Ben, who nodded and vanished, and then at the siblings. "Can I at least leave a message for my mom?"

Ken nodded. "Sure thing, kid; I'll deliver it for you."

Midoriya tore a page out of a notebook and wrote a short note—_Sorry, Mom, I'll be late; an emergency came up with Ben. I should be home either late tonight or early tomorrow to explain everything_—and handed it to Ken. Rather than run off at super-speeds, he just snapped his fingers, and the note vanished in a flash of green light.

"It went right to your kitchen," he said, and then snapped his fingers again, creating a human-sized portal in front of them. "You two go on ahead. I'll be right behind you."

Jen grabbed Midoriya by the wrist—much gentler this time—and tugged him towards the portal. "Just hurry up, Ken. We don't need any attention drawn to this place, and a portal to another universe will do that."

Ken chuckled. "Funny, I thought the metahuman brawl on the beach did that."

"M-metahuman?" Midoriya echoed.

"Later, okay?" Jen pushed him into the portal. "In you get!"

Ken waited for his sister to follow Midoriya; he took a step towards the portal, and then turned around.

"This has been bothering me all day," he muttered, and snapped his fingers again.

When the portal closed, Ken left a pristine beach behind him.

…

"Oh, I regret this," Midoriya wheezed. "I regret everything."

Jen gently rubbed his back with legitimate concern on her face, a far cry from the aggression she'd shown just a few minutes earlier.

"Sorry, some people don't do well in other universes," she said. "Looks like we can go to your universe without any problems, but you can't come to ours without feeling like, uh…"

"Like I want to die?" Midoriya finished. As soon as he'd stepped through the portal, he'd fallen to his hands and knees, overcome with the worst nausea and dizziness he'd ever felt in his life. Fortunately, he'd been able to hold his lunch in. "This isn't fair; you could have warned me."

"Honestly, we didn't know," Jen said. "It's not like we can test this sort of thing beforehand."

Ken helped Midoriya to his feet. "Don't worry, I'll give you a pick-me-up; it should last long enough."

Midoriya watched as Ken put his hand, now glowing green, on his head; a moment later, he felt fine. Now that he didn't feel so horrible, he was able to take stock of his surroundings; wherever he was didn't have any windows, but it was a large room, mostly empty, but dotted with computer terminals. Each of them was manned by someone in a purple uniform that only glanced in his direction. There were a few other people milling about, and they were in costumes that just screamed 'Hero' to him.

"You're lucky I've had practice healing people in your universe," Ken said, getting his attention again as he helped him to his feet. "It's not a permanent fix, I'm just balancing out your equilibrium so that you don't make a mess on the floor. We just waxed it."

It took about two seconds for what he said to click in Midoriya's mind. "_You're _the Vigilante who saved Iida's brother!"

Ken paused. "I'm just going to pretend I know who that is. If you're talking about the guy who got stabbed, then yes."

Jen gave him a look. "_That's _what you did? I thought you actually did something wrong."

Midoriya kept looking from one to the other. "I feel like I'm missing something. Also, where are we?" A terrifying thought occurred to him. "Wait, am I in _another universe_!?"

Ken laughed. "Didn't think this through, did you?"

"No," Midoriya groaned.

Ken gently guided him forward. "Well, we _are _kind of in a rush, so we'll give you the tour a little later. Come on."

They quickly exited the large room and followed a gently curving hallway; this one had a window, and as soon as Midoriya saw what lay beyond it, he froze. There, gently turning below him, was Earth.

"Are we in _space_!?"

Jen raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, probably should have mentioned that. Welcome to the Watchtower, primary base for the Justice League, temporary base for the Titans."

Midoriya had way too much to process at that moment, and if it weren't for Ken keeping a firm grip on his shoulder, he probably would have sat down hard to think. Space travel had lost the public interest over the last few generations on his Earth—and, wow, he just started to realize that he was _no longer on his Earth_.

"This is… a space station?"

"Yep." Ken shrugged. "We don't usually have everyone on either roster here unless there's some serious end-of-the-world stuff happening, so you probably won't see everyone. Actually, there's a crisis in Russia right now that the League is intervening in, and a few of the Titans are in New York, dealing with some smugglers, but they should be back in an hour or two."

Seeing Midoriya's confusion, Jen sighed. "It's a base for two different superhero teams. We're part of the Titans, and we're just using it until our new base is up and running. Got it?"

Remembering how Jen was able to beat him senseless without much effort, Midoriya hastily nodded. "Got it!"

"Good, because we're almost at the infirmary." Jen glanced at her brother. "I'll go on ahead and let them know we've got the Ultimatrix."

"Sure, sure." Ken kept Midoriya from getting bowled over by the shockwave produced by Jen running at super-speed. "She's so bad at keeping her cool. It's why we never assigned her undercover work."

Midoriya looked up at him in confusion. "You said your dad was dying, right? I'm kind of surprised _you _aren't acting like her."

Ken smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Oh, believe me, I'm about ten seconds from just ripping that watch off, arm included, and running it to my dad." He chuckled when Midoriya paled. "I'm just really good at keeping myself under control; one of the benefits of a lifetime making sure I don't accidentally kill someone."

Midoriya didn't say anything else, mostly because he couldn't get the image of his arm being brutally torn from his body out of his mind. After another few minutes of walking, Ken brought him to a set of automated doors, guarded by two people in costumes. One was a blonde-haired man dressed in varying shades of green; he had a bow and a large quiver full of arrows on his back. On the other side of the door was a beautiful woman with long blonde hair; she wore a black jacket over a low-cut outfit, with fishnet stockings and combat boots.

"Hey, kiddo," the man said cheerfully, though even with the double-diamond mask over his eyes, it was easy to see that he was tired. "You brought a guest."

The woman examined Midoriya with a critical gaze. "I hope you didn't just kidnap him."

"Of course not!" Ken grinned. "Jen beat him up, I asked for his help, and _then _I kidnapped him." He then pressed a button on the wall, and the door slid open. "I'll introduce you to everyone later, kid."

Bewildered, Midoriya followed him through the door, but as soon as he saw what was on the other side, he froze.

Thanks to the hologram in the Ultimatrix, Midoriya had had a pretty good idea of what Ben Tennyson looked like, even as an adult. He wasn't expecting to ever meet him like this, though; he was lying on a bed, eyes closed and too pale to be natural, and even unconscious appeared to be in a great deal of pain. His hair was grey, though his face seemed several decades too young for that. Several different machines were connected to him; some, Midoriya recognized from his own recent visit to the hospital, but others were unmistakably alien.

His left arm also caught his attention. Ben's Ultimatrix was larger than Midoriya's, and colored silver. The opposite hand was held in both hands of a blonde-haired woman that looked almost exactly like Jen, except for the hair. She wore a blue bodysuit with red boots, a short red cape, and a red S mounted over a shield-shaped crest on her chest.

_That must be Ken and Jen's mother, _Midoriya thought. _Ben's wife._

Jen, who was standing next to her mother with one hand on her shoulder, gently shook her. "Mom, he's here."

"About time!" Midoriya jumped when a tiny, hunched figure hopped over to him. He looked like Grey Matter, only with mustache-like tendrils on his face, and he held himself up with a cane. "You could have brought him here hours ago!"

Ken rolled his eyes. "True, but that would have involved infiltrating his school full of metahumans. This was easier. I thought you'd approve of us taking a measured approach, Azmuth."

Midoriya started; _this _was the creator of the Omnitrix!?

Azmuth huffed. "Yes, yes, I'm not what you were expecting, but we don't have time for that song and dance. Ultimatrix."

Ben, the hologram, flickered and appeared in front of everyone. "Awaiting instruction."

Midoriya would be the first to admit that it was creepy to see his friend act so… robotically.

"Access hardware diagnostics," Azmuth commanded, and a holographic screen appeared in front of him. He gently swiped at his mustache as he read the contents. "Hmm… yes, the original template is still embedded in the hardware. I can use this to synthesize a cure."

"A real cure this time?" A well-built man with an outfit similar to Ben's wife's, albeit made with a thicker material and a longer cape, raised an eyebrow. "You thought you'd saved him the last time."

"I was trying to stop the poison last time," Azmuth said. "I hadn't realized that it had simply become dormant all these years. Now that I know what to look for, I can purge it from Ben's system."

Finally, Midoriya couldn't take it any longer. "Can somebody please tell me what's going on!?"

Azmuth huffed again. "Years ago, the Ultimatrix was destroyed by one of Ben's enemies; what was left was used as a medium to infect him with a virus that was killing him. To make a long story short, I stopped the virus, and we all thought that was that. It turns out that the virus had mutated over the years, until it became strong enough to kill him. The only way for me to create an antidote is with the original strain of the virus, which remained inside the Ultimatrix, which Ben asked to be rebuilt a few years ago."

Midoriya didn't know what was more impressive—that Azmuth had managed to remain composed throughout his explanation, or that he had been working the whole time he'd been talking.

"Wait, does that mean _I'm _infected?" Midoriya looked down at the Ultimatrix in worry.

"What? No, that virus was tailored to attack Ben's specific DNA, stop worrying." Azmuth held out one tiny hand. "I've written the coding. Now I just need to extract a physical sample of the virus. A few molecules should be sufficient. I just need to take the Ultimatrix to my lab for the extraction. Hand it over, boy."

Midoriya flinched back. He was ashamed to say that a small part of him didn't want to be parted from the watch; it was what had brought him so close to his dream of being a Hero, and had given him the chance to have friends. Now, a complete stranger was asking him to give it up.

Ben's wife stood up and walked over to Midoriya unsteadily. "Please. We need the Ultimatrix to save him."

_Oh, who am I kidding? _He looked at Ben, still unconscious and in pain. _There's no real choice._

He held out his arm. "Take it."

Azmuth pressed a circle on his holographic keyboard, and the Ultimatrix slid off Midoriya's arm. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

A moment later, he vanished, and Midoriya was left in a room full of strangers. Now, without the Ultimatrix, he felt terribly vulnerable.

Thankfully, Ken seemed to pick up on that and gently patted his shoulder. "Nothing left to do but wait. Come on, let's get you up to speed."

**Surprise!**

**So… yeah. This story is actually connected to Ben 10: Unlimited. I know that I discontinued Unlimited Justice, but just because I lost the drive to write that series doesn't mean I don't remember what I had planned for it. You'll get a few tidbits next chapter, as well as when these two universes cross paths, because it'll happen again.**

**If you are completely lost, please go back and read Ben 10: Unlimited and Unlimited Justice, Part 1 and 2 to get caught up.**

**For those of you who guessed that the mystery duo was Ken and Jen, congratulations! At this point in their history, their superhero names are Ultiman and Ultragirl. Oh, and this is why I decided that only Marvel existed in the MHA universe.**

**If you want something else to read during my slower updates (my wrists are doing better, but I don't want to push myself just yet), please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. You can find it on my website (link in my profile) or on Amazon. Please help there, I haven't had many sales.**

**If you really don't want to read, but want to help me pay for things like food, and eventually my own place to live, consider supporting me on P-atreon (link in my profile). You get a copy of my book if you donate at the top tier, so keep that in mind!**

**Speaking of my patrons, here are the top Muffins in my growing army:**

**Serious Muffins: jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, John Collins, Calleo, Casey Pak, Red Bard, Ultimatrix10, Shaolin Khalil, killroy225**

**Incredible Muffins:**** RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844**

**Ultra Muffins:**** Adam Costello, Jeffrey Perigo, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Midoriya waits for Ben to recover, but there's little time to get to know these new heroes before he gets a chance to prove why he was chosen by the Ultimatrix.**

**Stay safe out there!**

**Plus Muffin!**


	19. Family Matters, Part 2

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. CAN SOMEONE HELP ME FIND MY CAT? HE'S PRETTY BIG, IS ORANGE WITH BLACK STRIPES, AND MIGHT HAVE EATEN THE MAILMAN.**

**So, where were we? Ah, yes, Midoriya has picked up the Tennyson habit of crossing universes. This should be fun.**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 19

Family Matters, Part 2

"Here you go," Ken said as he slid a drink over to Midoriya. "It's a smoothie. Mom told me the _best _stories of how Dad lobbied to get a smoothie-maker installed up here—and then the weird dance he did when it finally happened."

Midoriya took a cautious sip, and nodded when he tasted strawberry. "This is good. Thank you."

"Treating people to smoothies is a Tennyson thing." Ken chuckled. "Well, Dad likes to say that it is. Mom would argue that being _stupidly lucky_ is a Tennyson thing."

"Speaking of your dad," Midoriya said, "is he going to be okay?"

Ken sighed. "I hope so. The smartest guy in three galaxies is working on it, and if necessary, he can call on anyone from the League or the Titans to help him. We've got everything from science to sorcery, plus whatever Amazo has up his golden sleeves." His expression grew flat. "I mean, we tried all that to save Dad with all that already, but apparently the poison evolved to be resistant to freaking _everything_."

Midoriya blinked as he tried to process Ken's words. "What?"

Ken nodded. "Right, you only have metahuman powers on your Earth. Here, our superheroes cross off all the boxes—we've got everything from humans with powers, robots with powers, people with magic powers, aliens with powers, and people without any powers at all!"

"I was t-talking about the poison that evolved to resist m-magic, but…" Midoriya latched onto the topic he was most familiar with. "Wait, you can be a Hero on this Earth without a Quirk?"

"Quirks aren't a thing here, remember? Also, we don't do the license thing, so we're all vigilantes." Ken shrugged. "Oh, and my girlfriend doesn't have powers, and she's widely regarded as the third-scariest human on this Earth."

Midoriya swallowed nervously. "Who are the two above her?"

"I maintain that second place is her dad, but I'm in the minority; the number-two spot shifts around, depending on who you ask." Ken looked over Midoriya's shoulder. "Here comes the top dog right now, though; or, top _bat_, I should say."

Midoriya turned to see a tall man dressed in formfitting grey body armor, with a long black cape, complete with a pointy-eared cowl that covered the upper half of his face. He had a belt with plenty of compact containers, and on the center of his chest was the silhouette of a bat. He only gave Midoriya a single look, but there was enough intimidation there to send a chill down his spine.

"Ultiman," he said in a deep, gruff voice, "I assume Azmuth has the Ultimatrix and is working on an antidote for Ben?"

Ken nodded; somehow, he was completely unaffected by the man locking eyes with him. "Yeah, he is, Batman. If he doesn't show up again in an hour, I'll check in on him."

Batman didn't react to Ken's words, and instead gave Midoriya another piercing look. "Make sure to keep an eye on your guest. The Watchtower isn't for tourists."

"Technically, I didn't invite him, I kidnapped him," Ken said, but Batman had already turned and left, so he shrugged. "He doesn't show up for days, and that's how he acts? Rude. He's probably worried about Dad."

"That was _worried_?" Midoriya paused. "How did he know about everything if he hasn't been around for days?"

Ken laughed. "I'm not surprised he knows. He's Batman." He stopped and tilted his head, as if he was listening for something. "Oh, good, they're back. We should be expecting company in about three seconds."

Sure enough, Midoriya had barely reached the count of three in his head when several blurs shot into the cafeteria and came to a halt in front of their table. One was a man wearing a black bodysuit that only exposed his mouth and hair, and red goggles over his eyes; his costume was decorated with red lines and a red lightning bolt on his chest. Another was a young woman with long black hair, and wore a loose white shirt and skirt, along with a short cape; her costume had gold edges and a gold lightning bolt on her shirt. The last blur was a young man with short black hair; he wore combat pants, boots, and a black shirt with the same S-shield that Midoriya had seen on Ben's wife and the man with a similar costume to her.

Come to think of it, this younger man looked almost exactly like that man in the infirmary… though the black and red Ultimatrix on his arm stood out.

_How many people here have an Ultimatrix? _Midoriya thought.

"Ken, you're back!" The redhead kept darting between Ken and Midoriya so quickly that it looked like he was in two places at once. "Hey, is this the kid who had the old watch? Is everything okay? How's your dad?"

Ken stood up and managed to catch the man by the shoulders. "Zoom, calm down. You're going to create a friction fire again." He looked at the other two. "Did someone give him coffee?"

The other man held up his hands. "Hey, we know better. He's just worried." He frowned. "We all are. Is Uncle Ben okay?"

Ken sighed, and then picked up Zoom as easily as Midoriya picked up his smoothie and moved him to the side so that he could speak to the one who was presumably his cousin. "Azmuth has the Ultimatrix and is working on the antidote. Until then, we wait; I'm assuming M'gann is still connected to you, so if you could give her the update, I'd appreciate it, because I don't want to repeat myself a dozen times."

At that point, Midoriya was glad he was sitting down. So much was happening, and he was starting to get dizzy. He just wanted to drink his smoothie, and hoped that everyone just ignored him for a while; he couldn't take that kind of attention from strangers.

_I wish I had my friends here, _he thought. _Or at least the Ben I know to tell me it's going to be okay. Oh, man, I hope he isn't mad that I just gave him over to Azmuth without even talking to him about it._

Silently worrying as he was, he didn't notice that the woman had sat down next to him until she tapped his shoulder. He would have jumped to his feet in surprise, but she kept a grip on his arm that was much stronger than her appearance suggested.

"Hey there," she said kindly. "Rough day, I'm guessing?"

Midoriya nodded shakily. "I h-have no idea w-what's happening."

The woman laughed and patted his shoulder. "Yeah, you got thrown into the deep end. Did Ken steal you right out of your school?"

Midoriya looked down at his uniform. "Uh, n-no, I was outside my home. S-sorry, I d-don't know who any of you are."

She smiled at him. "I'm Sergeant Marvel. The guy with way too much energy is Zoom, and Ken's cousin over there is Superboy. We're all part of the Titans, but those three are some of the founding members."

Midoriya nodded again. _Hero teams. I can understand that. There are two on this space station, the Justice League and the Titans. Maybe I can handle this._

"Hey, Marvel?" Ken glanced at her over his shoulder. "Where's your boyfriend? He's one of maybe two people on this Earth that Azmuth enjoys spending time with, and he could help with Dad."

"Actually, Brainiac called me about twenty minutes ago," Sergeant Marvel said ruefully. "He said that he forwarded some analysis to Azmuth—some science-y stuff that went over my head—but he can't be here now. He's still working on containing the radiation leak in Ireland."

At that point, Midoriya felt brave enough to speak. "W-what's happening in Ireland?"

Sergeant Marvel smiled at him again. "Some terrorists managed to steal an old nuclear submarine and ran it aground on the coast of Ireland. It started leaking radioactive materials, so some of the Titans were sent to contain it, while Captain Atom actually fixes the problem. He absorbs radiation."

"You guys seem really busy," Midoriya commented.

Superboy chuckled. "Oh, this is an easy day. Half the League is on standby today, but more times than not, it's a skeleton crew up here. We just got back from busting some drug-runners in Florida, which was a nice change of pace."

"My friend helped catch some drug smugglers a few days ago," Midoriya said, in an effort to actually be part of the conversation. "She told me how they were caught. Were the ones you went after on the water, or did they make it ashore?"

"They weren't smugglers from out of the country, just guys moving their product from one spot to another." Superboy paused and looked off to the side. "Looks like everyone else is finally here." Midoriya followed his gaze, but there was no one there; Superboy smirked. "Super-hearing; they'll be here in a few seconds."

More and more people trickled into the cafeteria; some only stayed for a little while, just to hear that progress was making on saving Ben, while others stuck around. Most of the latter, Midoriya noticed, were around Ken's age or younger, and were part of the Titans, while the Justice League's members were all much older, though they didn't look it. When he commented on that, a young woman with green skin, orange hair, a black bodysuit with a red X across the chest and a long blue cape smiled.

"Oh, that's a long story," she said. "The short version is that a spell was cast on the League that affected them and everyone they consider family."

"It wasn't something we wanted," Superboy chimed in as he sat next to her.

"Right; anyway, everyone ages one day for every year now." When she saw Midoriya open his mouth to speak, she cut him off. "It only affects people when they stop growing."

"It was all part of an elaborate plot by an immortal who was losing his immortality to steal all the years we all would have gotten," Ken added. "It didn't work, and he ended up dying."

Midoriya was starting to get overwhelmed again; he could feel his arms and legs losing strength, and he might have even fallen backwards if not for a very large wolf that suddenly filled his vision. Midoriya froze, completely unsure what to do, especially when the wolf put its head in his lap.

Superboy smiled proudly. "I've been training Wolf to be a therapy dog. He's way smarter than most dogs, so he's good at knowing when people need him. Just hold onto him until you're okay."

The green girl glanced at everyone else; Midoriya swore her eyes glowed for a second, and then everyone else took a few steps back to give him some space.

"Th-thanks," he mumbled as he scratched the ear of the wolf—who was apparently named Wolf. "Sorry, I'm n-not good with strangers. Or crowds."

"You should probably work on that," Ken said, not unkindly. "Unless you want to be like Batman and stay in the shadows. You don't seem to be the broody type, though."

"I d-don't th-think I'm cut out for all-black clothes," Midoriya tried to joke. It earned him a few laughs, for which he was thankful.

Another woman sat down across from him. She wore a black coat over formfitting armor, and a belt that held several weapons. She also had a silver helmet that completely hid her face, with only a hold in the back to let her black braided hair fall down to her back. Strangely, the helmet was completely blank, so Midoriya had no idea how she saw out of it.

"So, you're from another universe," she said, and Midoriya was surprised that her voice wasn't muffled in the slightest by her helmet. "Ultiman didn't tell us much about it, other than most people have powers on your Earth. What's it like over there?" The woman paused. "I'm Seeker, by the way."

"Don't mind the questions," Ken said. "She likes to know things."

Seeker nodded. "Speaking of knowing things, where's Azmuth?"

As if on cue, Jen rushed in in a blur. "He's back! Come on!"

Before most of the others could blink, Jen grabbed her brother and ran off again. Even though he had met the siblings less than an hour ago, they were the closest to being people he knew; now, he was alone. Wolf decided that now was the best time to put his head in Midoriya's lap again and huffed.

"This is always the hard part," Seeker said quietly. "The waiting. It's even worse when it's someone you know."

"H-how long have you known Ben?" Midoriya asked.

"I had his file memorized by the time I was seven," Seeker replied. At first, Midoriya thought she was joking, but the side-eye she was getting from everyone else suggested otherwise. "But I've been close to the family for a long time."

"And then Ken found out you were a superhero," Superboy commented. "How did he not recognize your voice?"

Seeker turned her head towards him. "How do people not figure out who Superman is? His disguise is a pair of glasses."

"I… you…" Superboy looked away. "Shut up."

As the group traded lighthearted barbs, Midoriya slowly started to relax again. He even managed to keep his stutter mostly under control when Seeker asked him about his Earth. Some of the things he told them earned him envious stares.

"You get _paid _to be a superhero," Zoom said, and a young woman wearing an orange and black outfit and armed with everything from guns to a sword patted him on the back. "Most of us have to balance this stuff with another job. Speaking of which, Ravager," he stood up and looked at the woman. "You're teaching class in a couple of hours, and I've gotta run some evidence through the crime lab."

Ravager sighed. "Yeah, I wanted to see if the school could get a substitute, but no dice. Superboy, could you let Ken and Jen know we're pulling for them?"

"No problem." Superboy waved them off. "I'll keep you updated."

"Thanks, dude." Zoom picked up Ravager in his arms and vanished in a red-and-black blur.

Sergeant Marvel sighed. "I miss their old costumes."

"I think Zoom was tired of being called Kid Flash, and Ravager…" Seeker shrugged. "I don't know, she got a little too attached during that undercover op with Deathstroke."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Midoriya complained, though he kept his voice quiet.

"Ravager used to be called Artemis," Seeker explained. "She was undercover with Red Hood, and helped us expose an alien conspiracy. Zoom used to be Flash's sidekick, and now he does his own thing. Actually, a lot of us were sidekicks."

"Being a Sidekick is also a job on my Earth," Midoriya said, desperate to turn the conversation back to something he knew about. "Some of them only stay there until they can form their own Agencies, but others stay with a Hero their whole careers."

"Again, we never get paid," someone further away grumbled.

Midoriya ducked his head. "S-sorry."

The conversations continued, and after a while, Midoriya was able to learn the aliases of everyone present; none of them gave their real names, but they assured him that it was nothing personal. Most heroes on this Earth kept their identities secret, to prevent their enemies from attacking their friends and families. He only knew Ken and Jen by name because they had addressed themselves that way, but everyone emphasized how important it was to keep that to himself.

"How do you deal with that on your Earth?" Miss Martian asked. "If you're a state employee, doesn't that mean that that information is available if someone tries hard enough?"

"Actually, it's harder than you'd think," Midoriya said. "Even though a lot of Heroes' names are known, the government keeps personal information very secret. There aren't many specifics, but a team of people with intelligence-enhancing Quirks use some of the best computers around to keep hackers out."

What Midoriya didn't say was that there was an unspoken agreement between the Heroes and the criminal underworld—no going after families, on either side. For a Villain to attack a Hero's family meant never getting help from other criminals, and for the Heroes and police to come crashing down on them. Heroes, on the other hand, didn't go after a criminal's family because of the potential retribution on their own. The entire 'arrangement' kept conflict limited to those directly involved; doing otherwise meant triggering a war with no winner.

That had been one of Hawks' more sobering lessons during the last days of his internship.

…

Another two hours passed before Ken came back for Midoriya. "Sorry, guys, Dad just wants to thank the kid who saved his life."

Those words were enough for everyone to breathe a sigh of relief, including Midoriya, who was unceremoniously pulled from his seat and taken to the infirmary in a blur of super-speed. More people were inside, including a woman who seemed to be made of purple energy with pink light for hair. She held a small green-and-black slug creature in her arm; from the grip she had, it looked like she was under a great deal of stress, and was taking it out on the poor thing.

What lifted Midoriya's spirits, however, was Ben; he was still weak and pale, but he was awake. He sat up, one hand holding his wife's, while the other was being scanned by a device held by Azmuth.

"The treatment is going well," Azmuth said, oblivious to, or deliberately ignoring, Midoriya's presence. "I'd say that you'll make a complete recovery in another five days. Just don't transform for that time."

Ben's wife smiled and tightened her grip enough to make him wince. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he stays in bed."

A few others in the room chuckled, and Jen made a face. "Mom! Phrasing!"

Ben laughed. "Yeah, you really should have thought about that one, Kara." When his wife glared at him, he held up his free hand in surrender. "I'll be good, I promise."

Azmuth scowled. "If the treatment didn't rely on the Ultimatrix properly dispersing the antidote through your DNA, I'd deactivate it to make sure. I'll have to hope your family can keep you in line, for once."

"I know exactly what to do," Supergirl said, and hugged Ben tightly.

"Kara! Air!"

"Nope, not letting go this time."

Jen tugged halfheartedly at her mother's arm. "Mom, he's turning blue!"

Midoriya leaned a little closer to Ken to whisper. "Is this normal?"

Ken grinned. "You should have seen them when I technically died a couple years back. They didn't let me do anything unsupervised for six _months_." At Midoriya's incredulous stare, he shrugged. "Long story. Let's just say that us Tennysons are really protective when it comes to friends and family."

Azmuth finally turned to regard Midoriya. "Ah. You're back. Unitrix, give him the Mark One."

A blonde-haired woman in a white, silver-trimmed bodysuit sighed. "It's been almost thirty years, and you still won't call me Eunice?"

"Unlikely."

The woman, Eunice, walked over and held out the Ultimatrix Midoriya was so used to. "Here you go. Thanks for holding onto this; we wouldn't have been able to save Ben without it."

Midoriya took the watch, but he was confused. "How did I do anything? You needed the Ultimatrix, not me."

"The Ultimatrix was in complete standby-mode," Azmuth said gruffly. "If it hadn't found a user that matched its parameters, it would have self-destructed to keep it out of the wrong hands. If that had happened, all hope of a cure would have been lost."

Eunice smiled. "In other words, you being a hero is what saved Ben's life."

Midoriya blushed as he put the Ultimatrix back on. "There would have been other people who deserved the watch."

Holo-Ben flickered into view. "I disagree. There were plenty on your Earth who would have been heroes with the Ultimatrix, but they weren't _you_." At that point, Holo-Ben noticed that everyone in the room was looking at him. "Oh, right. Hi?"

Ben stifled a laugh. "I totally forgot that I made the hologram look like me."

"Thanks for that, boss," Holo-Ben said.

"Um… 'boss'?"

Holo-Ben crossed his arms. "It's either that, or Dad."

"Boss is fine."

The purple woman, who had seemed to be torn between laughter and tears, finally chose the former. "Oh, this is good. This is almost worth being worried sick."

Ben gave her a look. "I'm so glad, Grandma."

Midoriya did a double-take, and then turned to Holo-Ben. "_That's _his grandma!?" he hissed. "And why didn't you tell me about all of _this_!?"

Holo-Ben held up his hands. "Hey, I didn't know! Ben never programmed me with any personal information, just some basic stuff from before he turned eighteen! It's not like knowing his grandma was an Anodite was going to help _you _be a hero."

Midoriya had to admit that Holo-Ben was right. It wasn't really his place to know Ben's personal life. He was about to apologize, but the door opened, and the archer from earlier rushed in.

"Glad to see Ben's awake, but we have a situation," he said. "Mister Terrific needs as many hands on deck as possible."

The man who looked like Superboy frowned. "What's going on?"

"A major seismic event around Metropolis; if the readings are right, the whole city could turn into a giant sinkhole!"

Ben tensed, but then sighed and leaned back. "You guys go. I'll be fine, I promise."

Everyone except Azmuth and Eunice nodded and began heading out, but then Midoriya raised his hand, like he was back in class.

"C-can I help?"

Ultiman and Ultragirl shared an amused look. "Well, I _have _been telling him that we don't do the whole license thing here," the former said, and then patted Midoriya on the back. "Come on, kid; it's Hero Time!"

…

There were two things Midoriya noted as he arrived at the Justice League's base in Metropolis, the Metro Tower. First, the city was a shining symbol of progress, with clean streets, gleaming buildings, and state-of-the-art technology. The second thing was that he did _not _like teleporting.

"Seriously, this again?" Ultragirl helped him out of the way as more Leaguers and Titans arrived on the scene. "What is it with you and instant travel?"

"I don't know," Midoriya groaned as he struggled to keep the contents of his stomach in place. Only a few seconds after he succeeded, the building shook, and more than one person was knocked off their feet. "What do I need to do?"

Ultiman stepped in at that point. "Right now, our job is to help civilians, and find out what's causing those tremors. After that, we'll move in to deal with it. Ultragirl, take Midoriya and patrol the perimeter of the city; Mister Terrific just told me that whatever is causing this is _surrounding _the city, and I want you two to see if you can get ahead of this."

"You got it." Ultragirl gently elbowed Midoriya. "You might want to stay as an alien. Secret identity and all that."

"Oh, r-right." Midoriya sorted through his aliens, and then turned into Jetray. "Okay, I'm ready."

Ultragirl nodded. "All right, just stay with me." She floated into the air and started flying west. "Don't fly ahead, I can't fly that fast."

Jetray and Ultragirl were among the dozens of Leaguers and Titans; at first, Jetray didn't want to say anything, but after a few minutes, the silence became unbearable.

"So, um… what are your powers?" he asked. "I know that Quirks aren't a thing on this Earth, but you have more than one ability."

"Blame my parents," Ultragirl said as she flew; Jetray noted that her eyes were glowing softly as she looked at the ground. "My mom, Supergirl, is a Kryptonian, and she gave me some of her powers—strength, speed, durability, healing, enhanced senses, and X-ray vision. But Dad's DNA got some additions that passed down to me from his aliens—invisibility, water jets, seed bombs, magnetic powers, and Way Big's cosmic ray."

"How does _that _work?"

"The Ultimatrix was leaking alien DNA." She smirked at him. "The same Ultimatrix you're using now."

Jetray looked at the dial on his chest in alarm. "Does that mean—"

"No, Azmuth fixed that issue when he rebuilt the watch."

"Oh. Good." There was too much going on in Midoriya's life for him to be thinking about possible kids getting alien powers.

The silence resumed for a little while, but Ultragirl was the one who broke it next. "I guess I owe you an apology."

"F-for what?"

"Assaulting you, for one." Ultragirl looked uncomfortable. "I'm not usually like that. It's not an excuse, but I was just so worried about Dad."

"I get it," Jetray assured her. "If something happened to my parents…"

He shook off the thought before he could finish the sentence. The idea of anything happening to those he loved was too terrible to even consider.

"A-anyway, you don't have to apologize," he said.

"Yeah, I really do." Ultragirl frowned and hovered in place, staring down at something on the ground. "I'm seeing something with my X-ray vision. Hang on." She put her finger to the earpiece she had. "Ultiman, I've got eyes on something underground. Looks like a giant subway train, but it's carving a tunnel around Metropolis; at this rate, it could cause the whole city to fall into a sinkhole!"

Jetray's eyes went wide; from what he could see, Metropolis was huge, and millions of lives were at risk. What was causing such damage?

As if to answer his question, there was an eruption of earth and metal, and an enormous mechanical monster emerged. It was huge, almost a hundred feet wide and several hundred feet long; its 'head' was tipped with a giant drill, while much smaller drills dotted its flanks. There was an electronic screech, and then the monster slammed into a building on the outskirts of Metropolis. To Jetray's horror, the half of the building that wasn't immediately crushed started to tilt and fall towards several more skyscrapers.

Fortunately, Superman flew in and put his hands against the collapsing building, stopping its fall. Jetray stared at the display of power.

_Not even All Might could do that! _he thought. _I mean, he could do the strength part, I think, but he'd never be able to hold the building up at that location, because he can't fly._

Ultragirl brought her hand back up to her ear. "Yeah, I saw that. Where do you need us? Okay, got it. Will we have backup? Fine, we'll make do." She turned to Jetray. "Everyone else is tied down with damage control and rescue efforts. We're going inside that thing and taking it down. Can you handle this?"

Jetray nodded after a moment's hesitation. "Y-yes, but how are we going to get inside that robot?"

Ultragirl looked down at the machine, and her eyes glowed again. "First of all, I just X-rayed it, and it's some kind of vehicle; the cockpit is lined with lead, so I can't see who's driving. Second of all, can you use any aliens that can go intangible?"

"Oh, right." Jetray would have facepalmed if he didn't need both wings straight out to fly. "What about you?"

Ultragirl grinned. "Oh, I'll be keeping this thing busy from the outside."

"Your magnetic powers can hold something that big?"

She laughed. "No, I've got something a little more… direct, in mind." She held her hand over her Ultimatrix. "It's time to go Ultimate!"

Ultragirl slammed down the dial on her Ultimatrix; there was a flash of green light, and the watch vanished from her arm. Though nothing seemed to outwardly changed, Jetray could feel a pressure in the air around Ultragirl.

"I love doing this." Ultragirl flew back a short distance, and unlike before, when she seemed to focus to use her power, this was completely effortless. "I'll keep it busy for a bit, and then I'll join you. Get to the control center, I think it's in the segment just behind the head!"

With that said, Ultragirl flew at the machine with unbelievable speed. She drew her fist back and punched it square in the drill, rocking it back. Even from several hundred feet away, Jetray could see the sizable dent in the metal.

Holo-Ben materialized and let out a low whistle. "I am _really_ glad she never did that when she fought you."

"Y-yeah, me too." Jetray tapped his own Ultimatrix and turned into Ghostfreak. "Okay, let's do this."

…

Ultiman held up one hand, and formed a dome of green Mana to shield a small group of civilians from falling debris. "Keep going! There are Leaguers a block away to move you to safety!"

Most of the terrified people left, except for a beautiful woman with black hair. "Ken, how are you holding up?"

Ultiman smiled. "Don't worry, Aunt Lois, I'm fine. And before you ask, Uncle Clark is working to make sure the Daily Planet doesn't get knocked over." He paused, listening for something, and then laughed. "He says he loves you, by the way."

Lois Lane-Kent smiled back, and turned in the direction of the Daily Planet. "Love you too, Smallville." The words were quiet, but they both knew Superman would hear her. "Hey, where's your sister?"

"Fighting a giant metal worm the size of Poland." Ultiman's smile faded. "She went Ultimate; either she's still got some anger to work out, or she's worried."

Lois looked concerned. "She hasn't gone Ultimate since the fight on Apokolips."

"She hasn't needed to," Ultiman assured her. "And she seems to be handling it well. I'll send some backup her way as soon as we evacuate this sector."

"And that won't happen until I'm gone, I get it." Lois gave her nephew a wave. "Just promise to give me a few statements after this is done?"

"Don't we always? You know you're the superhero community's favorite reporter." Ultiman kept an eye on Lois until she turned a corner. "Okay, now we need to get this mess under control."

…

Ghostfreak passed through the metal skin of the machine, and then turned into Diamondhead. He barely got a few steps towards the control room when he was attacked by a dozen robots. At first, they moved too fast for him to really see what he was fighting, but Holo-Ben had no such issues.

"Dude, you're fighting robot monkeys!" Holo-Ben laughed from inside the Ultimatrix. "That is so weird, but also awesome!"

Diamondhead's arms turned into blades that he used to hack apart one of the monkeys. "Easy for you to say, they're trying to kill me!"

The monkeys fired beams of green energy at him, but they only refracted off, hitting the ceiling, walls and floor. Diamondhead retaliated with a barrage of crystals that shredded most of the robots; the remaining few were smashed apart with his fists.

"This is a weird day," he muttered.

"This is only your third time doing anything in the field," Holo-Ben reminded him. "Fourth, if you count the entrance exam. I'm sure this sort of thing will be boring in a few years."

"That's not actually helping." Diamondhead marched up to a thick door that blocked his way; his arm shifted into a thick blade. "Let's see who's on the other side."

The door shrieked as Diamondhead tore through it; sitting in a chair, pressing at buttons and pulling levers, was a short man with red hair. If it weren't for the robot monkeys hovering protectively around him—and the giant death-machine he was driving—he wouldn't have looked like more than a stressed college professor.

The man glanced back at him. "Oh, it's _you_. I got out of prison a week ago, and you're already going to put me back?"

"He thinks you're Ben," Holo-Ben said. "Just fake it until you take him down."

_Right. I can do that. _Diamondhead put his fists on his hips. "Looks like it. How about you surrender, and I won't have to hurt you?"

"I'd rather take option two." The man pressed a button, and a wide-barreled cannon emerged from the floor; a cluster of explosives fired out, catching Diamondhead in the chest and sending him tumbling back. "Oh, that felt good!"

A moment later, Ultragirl crashed through the top of the machine and landed on the controls, destroying them.

"Not as good as punching you is gonna be for me, Ivo," she said, and cracked her knuckles, even as red beams shot from her eyes and destroyed the cannon that had shot Diamondhead.

The man, Ivo, sneered. "Well, if it isn't the half-Kryptonian! How is life living in Supergirl's shadow?"

If he was trying to get a rise out of Ultragirl, he failed miserably. "How's life in Morrow's?"

Whoever Morrow was, mentioning him set Ivo off. "That cretin's designs are obsolete compared to my own! His name shouldn't even be spoken in my presence!"

Ultragirl laughed. "Nice to see your inferiority complex is going strong." She looked over at Diamondhead, who got to his feet. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," he said. "Watch out for cannons in the floor; there might be more than one."

"I don't need a full cannon to deal with you," Ivo said to Ultragirl. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a rock that glowed a sickening green. "This will do nicely."

As soon as the light touched Ultragirl, she gasped in pain and fell to the floor. "W-where d-did you—"

"You'd be amazed at what I found in some of Luthor's caches," Ivo gloated; there was a flash of green light behind him, and he turned. "Try anything, and the girl—"

XLR8 didn't reply as he tore through Ivo's monkeys, and then planted one foot in the man's face. At the speed he was going, Ivo flew through the air and into a monitor on the far side of the room; several teeth and a line of blood showed exactly where he'd come from.

"What's wrong?" XLR8 asked Ultragirl, not caring about the unconscious criminal.

"K-Kryptonite," Ultragirl said weakly, and pointed at the rock. "The radiation…"

"I'll take care of it." XLR8 slapped the Ultimatrix dial again, turning into a tall alien with black and yellow skin, pincers for hands and feet, and a metal head that floated between his spiked shoulders.

Lodestar held out one hand, and a panel of metal tore out of the wall; he then wrapped it around the Kryptonite, sealing it up. Ultragirl took a few deep breaths, and Lodestar helped her sit upright; color was already returning to her face, but she didn't look ready to go anywhere just yet.

That was unfortunate in Lodestar's eyes, because the mechanical worm shuddered, and the hole in the roof was torn open wider. A moment later, Superboy dropped in, along with Seeker, Wolf, and a girl who seemed to be made of fire; the latter quickly shut off her power, revealing a teenager with red hair, who wore black pants and a midriff-baring top, both of which were decorated with red flames.

"Everything okay in here?" Superboy asked, looking at his cousin with concern.

"Yeah, feeling the aster," Ultragirl said as she rose to her feet. "It was Ivo; he had some of Luthor's Kryptonite."

Superboy tensed. "Where is that little weasel?"

Lodestar pointed. "Over there. I, uh, may have hit him a little too hard."

Seeker walked over to the small man and nudged him with one boot. "Eh, he's been hit worse. Also, he put an entire city at risk, so I doubt anyone will care."

Lodestar nodded, and then held up the ball of metal that contained the Kryptonite. "Um, what about this?"

The other girl grabbed it. "I'll take it to someone, maybe Green Lantern; he'll throw it into the sun, problem solved."

Midoriya wasn't sure what scared him more—that someone could actually take something close enough to the sun to throw it in, or that that statement had been made so casually.

Seeker nodded. "Thanks, Bonfire. We'll wrap things up here."

Bonfire covered herself in flames once again, and then rocketed back the way she'd come. While Seeker put restraints around the unconscious Ivo, Wolf rested his head against Ultragirl until she started to pet him. Superboy chuckled at the sight, and then patted Lodestar on the shoulder.

"Thanks," he said. "Looks like the family owes you twice."

"Y-you don't owe me anything," Midoriya protested as he turned back to normal.

Superboy smiled. "Too late for that, kid."

…

To Midoriya's surprise, the cleanup and repair of Metropolis took little time at all. Ultiman and Verdona—the purple woman, who also turned out to be Ben's grandmother—snapped their fingers, and the city was fixed in a matter of seconds. Most of the heroes headed back to the Watchtower after that, including Midoriya, who was brought to the infirmary to speak to Ben.

"So, this has been a busy day for you," Ben said with a grin. "You jumped universes and fought a supervillain, all on a school night. Not bad."

Midoriya found the floor very interesting at that moment. "Th-thanks."

"You've had the Ultimatrix for about a year, right?" Ben nodded to himself. "I think you might be ready for the Ultimates soon. What do you think, other Ben?"

Midoriya perked up; Holo-Ben had told him a few times that the Ultimatrix was capable of sending some of his aliens into the most powerful stages of their evolution for short periods of time. Midoriya had been excited by the prospect, but Holo-Ben had told him in no uncertain terms that he needed more experience in the field before he'd unlock that function.

Of course, that had been before he'd fought real Villains, a serial killer, and now, a giant mechanical worm controlled by a mad scientist.

Holo-Ben flickered into view. "Definitely. He's improved a great deal faster than your original parameters suggested. He picks things up fast; I've already had to accelerate the guidelines twice." He paused and looked at Midoriya curiously. "His grasp on all this is almost _too _good."

Supergirl, who looked far more relaxed than before, reached out to ruffle Midoriya's hair. "Maybe it's because he's smart? If I remember correctly, Ben, you weren't exactly a good student at his age."

"I have the third-highest grades in my class," Midoriya offered.

"See what I mean?" Supergirl laughed. "Aren't you glad that the watch ended up on the wrong planet?"

Midoriya blinked. "Wrong planet? Oh, right, the Ultimatrix ended up on my Earth by accident."

Ben nodded. "Yeah, my plan was to give the watch to someone from the Earth _I _originally came. I kinda wanted to give my Earth a protector. Still, I wish I knew why the Ultimatrix ended up on _your _Earth. From what Ken and Jen told me, you've got a lot of heroes to protect your planet." He paused. "No offense, I'm sure you'll be great."

At first, Midoriya was just relieved that Ben didn't want to take the Ultimatrix and go with his original plan. Then, he started to get more curious. Why _had _the watch come to his Earth?

"I believe I can answer that," Azmuth said, looking up from a holographic screen in front of him. "Like is drawn to like; the Ultimatrix was lost in the void between universes, too far away from ours, Ben Tennyson, but close to another that was similar."

Ben frowned. "How are our Earths similar in energy?"

"Not our Earths," Azmuth said, "but the life in the Ultimatrix, and the life on the boy's Earth."

"What are you talking about?" Midoriya asked.

"Tell me something." Azmuth looked up at him, and Midoriya thought he saw regret and sadness in his eyes. "Have you ever wondered where Quirks come from?"

**Ooh, here we go! This is something I've been planning since the beginning, the origins of Quirks, and why Midoriya got the Ultimatrix!**

**Also, yes, there was a lot mentioned from the Unlimited stories that I kinda glossed over. Here are a few points to address:**

**Barry Allen changed his hero name from Kid Flash to Zoom. Yes, I know, but I also know what I'm doing. Instead of becoming Tigress while undercover, Artemis joined up with Deathstroke (who had been bought off by the Team once he realized just how wrecked the Earth was going to get), and took the same super-soldier serum that Slade did. She then became Ravager.**

**Jason Todd went undercover after he was killed by the Joker; the Light thought he'd gone bad after becoming Red Hood. There were some serious issues between him and Starfire after this was revealed, but they have since made up.**

**There was never going to be an Impulse in my story. Instead, Flash (Wally West in the Unlimited stories) and Fire eventually had a daughter, named Bonnie, AKA Bonfire. She traveled back in time with Ken's ghost to prevent the Reach and Apokolips from destroying the Earth. They were partially successful, but present-day Ken was still abducted and taken to Apokolips (who had been using proxies and loopholes to get around Alien X sealing them away). In an effort to hurt Ben, Darkseid inflicted upon his son a fate worse than death—destroying his soul, leaving him an empty husk. However, future-Ken moved into the empty space, thus coming back to life. The stress he went under, both emotionally and physically, unlocked **_**every single bit **_**of alien DNA he had. That means all of Ben's aliens, and a full Kryptonian lineup.**

**Yes, this includes Alien X. However, he can only use that kind of power in very specific circumstances, usually universe-ending threats. It was the deal he had to make with other Celestialsapiens to keep from getting erased from existence.**

**Anyway, Ken proceeded to absolutely demolish Darkseid, and then sealed Apokolips inside of a pocket dimension forever. He also took away Vandal Savage's immortality, though Deathstroke decided to kill him immediately afterwards. Whoops.**

**Only a few people know what really happened to Ken, however. Among them is Jen, Supergirl, Seeker (AKA Valerie Sage, daughter of Question and Huntress), Verdona, Professor Paradox, and John Constantine (because he was going to be doing stuff). Ben has lost too much already to be told that his son has technically died twice, so for his sake, no one said anything.**

**Now, before anyone explodes about the connections between Azmuth, the Ultimatrix (and Omnitrix) technology and the MHA universe, please be patient. All will be revealed next chapter. Just know that I've been planning this for a while, and it will have repercussions for the MHA side of things.**

**Oh, and some good news! My arms are starting to do better. I'm still in pain, but I can type for a couple of hours before it gets too bad, and I recover faster. Hooray!**

**As always, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. You can find it on my website (link in my profile), or on Amazon. Sales are good for me, and you get something to read. Also, I'm getting closer to finishing the sequel!**

**If you want to support me in other ways, you can donate on P-atreon (link in my profile). Every dollar donated is one less I have to worry about! Perhaps one day, I'll make enough to live in my own quarantined apartment, where I do nothing but write all day. Wouldn't that be fun?**

**Thanks to the following Patrons, who continue to be awesome:**

**Serious Muffins: jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, John Collins, Calleo, Casey Pak, Red Bard, Aaron Meek, Shaolin Khalil, killroy225**

**Incredible Muffins:** **RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844**

**Ultra Muffins:**** Adam Costello, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Azmuth reveals a secret that rocks Midoriya to his core. Will he finally reveal his own secrets to his friends?**

**Stay safe out there!**

**Plus Muffin!**


	20. Family Matters, Part 3

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT I'M IN TROUBLE WITH THE GOVERNMENT AGAIN. APPARENTLY, TAMPERING WITH THE SUN IS NOT ALLOWED. WISH THEY'D TOLD ME BEFORE I STARTED THROWING NITRO-CHICKENS INTO THE THING.**

**Where were we? Ah, yes, Midoriya was about to learn some world-shattering stuff. Shall we?**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 20

Family Matters, Part 3

Uraraka frowned at her phone, as if it was responsible for her irritated state. It had become a habit for the Rising Stars to talk to each other after school, but one star wasn't shining that night.

Comet: Has anyone heard from Izuku?

Book: Not in the five minutes since the last time you asked.

Comet: Sorry

Crayon: relax, Ochako. im sure Midori is just busy. Maybe his mom needs him and he turned off his phone?

Glasses: Yes, I am certain that everything is all right.

Comet: I know, it's just that he always responds. It's weird.

Tape: Hey, if he doesn't send any messages by tomorrow morning, I can ask Air Jet to swing by his place. He patrols near Izuku's neighborhood on weekdays.

Uraraka was touched that Sero would ask a Pro Hero to go out of his way to check on Midoriya, even though there was no evidence that anything was actually wrong. Even if there was, they could only say anything if they didn't hear from him after 24 hours, or had proof that something bad had happened.

Maybe she was just being paranoid. After all, the League of Villains had tried to kidnap him in Hosu, and they might try again. What if they knew where he lived?

She nervously started to pace. Yes, she was definitely paranoid, but she didn't care.

_You'd better have a good explanation for this._

…

"Well?" Azmuth tapped his foot impatiently. "Answer the question."

Midoriya shrank back. "Um, w-well, the common theory is that a latent gene in our DNA activated about two hundred years ago, and powers began developing at an accelerated rate. Four out of every five people on my Earth now have some kind of Quirk, even if it's just a vestigial mutation."

He was suddenly reminded of a man who lived in his neighborhood. His Quirk was just a pair of hooks on the sides of his head; they didn't do anything, but he was so proud of them, and had sneered at his Quirkless neighbor every chance he got. Midoriya had seen him once or twice since winning the Sports Festival; now, he seemed terrified of the boy he'd thought inferior.

Ben frowned. "Okay, I'm not a scientist by any stretch, but I'm pretty sure that's a complete load. Azmuth, tell me that's a complete load."

"Oh, it is," Azmuth assured him. "Such a drastic change in your species' evolution wouldn't have happened without outside interference."

Supergirl leaned back in her chair. "Someone altered the humans on that Earth? Why would they do that?"

"As a proof-of-concept," Azmuth said.

Ben stared at him for a long moment as he processed that. "Azmuth, tell me you had nothing to do with that."

"I could, but it would be a lie."

Midoriya looked between them. "W-wait, what?"

"That's what I was going to say." Ben fixed Azmuth with a glare that would have impressed Aizawa. "Start talking."

Azmuth sighed and sat down at the foot of the bed. In that moment, he looked every bit his age. "A long time ago, when I was working on the designs for the Omnitrix, I encountered a problem. I couldn't figure out how to stop the DNA of other species from permanently overriding that of the host. However, until I knew what such an override might look like, it would be a flaw that I couldn't fix. My best estimates were that it would take me another hundred years before I perfected the technology, and I refused to wait that long. Controlled experiments weren't yielding the data I needed, so I sought… an alternative. This presented another obstacle—genetic manipulation on a large scale is illegal in our universe."

"Then why didn't anyone say anything when I fixed the Highbreed?" Ben asked.

"The Highbreed were intent on destroying the universe," Azmuth said. "Besides, you did it to save them from extinction, and after the Highbreed's war, no one was in a position to do more than raise a protest, and you were so popular that to do so would be political suicide. As such, everyone just let it go.

"What I was planning had no motive other than to advance my own project. Even my best arguments wouldn't get past the lawmakers. However, the law only specified that large-scale genetic manipulation was illegal _in our own universe_. So… I went to another.

"Upon reaching this other Earth, I seeded alien DNA into the genetic codes of the humans, to be passed on to their children. The human genetic code is remarkably resilient, and the population made for excellent test subjects. I programmed the dispersal technology to eventually affect eighty percent of the population by the time the project was complete; the other twenty percent remained unaltered as a control group. After that was done, I observed the effects; I took my readings, and used them to build the safety features of the Omnitrix."

At that point, Midoriya was fairly certain that his heart had stopped. Azmuth had just admitted that he had visited his Earth generations ago, altered the DNA of the human race… just so that he could speed up his own work?

"Hold on," he said shakily. "My parents have Quirks. Shouldn't I have been part of the eighty percent?"

"Hmm?" Azmuth shook his head. "No, the monitoring system I left in orbit would send out a 'kill-code', if you will, removing the alien DNA from randomly selected humans if the percentages got too skewed. The eighty-twenty split was the optimal level."

Midoriya didn't want to believe what he was hearing, and he almost thought he _couldn't _believe it. Unfortunately for him, his understanding of the universe—of the _multiverse_—had expanded enough that he really didn't have a choice. A part of him wanted to be furious with Azmuth for this violation of his Earth, but he was in too much shock to do more than stare.

Ben, on the other hand, looked outraged; if not for his wife keeping a firm grip on his shoulder, he might have reached out to grab the little alien.

"You _experimented _on a planet!" he shouted. "How many times did you threaten to take the Omnitrix away from me because I did something stupid, when _you_… argh!"

Azmuth raised a brow at Ben's anger, but otherwise didn't react. "I had made plans to remove the foreign DNA. It would have been a simple matter after only a generation, and I almost did so. However, I discovered something… unexpected. So unexpected, in fact, that I chose to let the effects of my experiment become permanent.

"You see, the DNA of some of the aliens I used shouldn't have been compatible with others, but the human DNA acted as a bridge, allowing for offspring with abilities more varied and powerful than their parents." He crossed his arms. "In a way, it was almost like a prototype of how the Ultimatrix allowed for the creation of your own children."

"Don't go there, Azmuth," Supergirl warned, her eyes now faintly glowing red. "You leave our kids out of this. After everything you've said, I'm not sure I'd trust you anywhere near them ever again."

Now it was Ben's turn to stop his wife from doing anything, but everyone knew that Supergirl could get free from Ben's hand at any moment.

"If you knew about my Earth," Midoriya said, "how come it took so long for Ken and Jen to come over? Why didn't you just take the Ultimatrix back as soon as it arrived?"

"I was going to, but not long after it came to your Earth, it found you. I've since learned the value of what a good-hearted human can do with that device, so I chose not to interfere. In fact, had Ben not been afflicted with that poison, I would have been content to let you live out your life blissfully unaware of my actions." Azmuth chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "Even then, I almost considered not saying anything, until you asked. I may keep many secrets, but I'm not a fan of lying."

"This…" Midoriya sank into his chair and put his head in his hands. "This is too much. I can't—" He stopped and looked up. "Wait, what about the animals?"

Azmuth blinked. "Pardon?"

"Some animals have been documented with Quirks," Midoriya said. "My principal isn't human, and he's one of the smartest people on the planet."

Ben raised an eyebrow, and then slowly turned. "Azmuth…"

"I didn't know!" he said quickly. "I haven't actually looked at the data over the last few decades, mostly because I've been dealing with _your _messes! We're still dealing with the fallout from the Highbreed war." He stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "It could be a random glitch in the dispersal matrix; after so many years, it might have degraded. I'll have to examine the readings."

"Yeah, you do that," Ben said, his voice dangerously low. "You lectured me about all the times I messed up, and now I've found out that you're a hypocrite. Not really the first time, though; I don't want to remind you about the sword, do I?"

Azmuth actually flinched. "No, you don't." He saw the looks he was getting from Ben and Supergirl, and sighed. "I am sorry. I'll take my leave for now; we can talk about this later."

"Don't hold your breath," Supergirl muttered as Azmuth vanished in a flash of light.

Ben sat back and rubbed at his eyes. "Sorry, Izuku, I had no idea about any of this."

If the reactions he'd seen were any indication, Midoriya believed him. However, he looked down at the Ultimatrix. "How come _you _never said anything?"

Holo-Ben appeared and shrugged. "Because nobody's DNA registered as tampered or damaged! At this point, Quirks are normal for your Earth." He frowned. "I mean, maybe if we met someone from that first generation, but it's been about two hundred years. I'm pretty sure they're all dead."

Midoriya sighed; he tried to calm down, but everything from the last few hours—especially the recent revelation—was starting to catch up with him. "What happens now?"

Ben glanced at his phone. "Well, we should probably get you home. You've been through a lot, and you have even more to process."

"W-what about Azmuth?"

Ben grimaced. "I'm going to talk to some people. I doubt he'll face any legal consequences, but his good name is going to take a hit once this gets out—assuming we let it get out. I'm angry with him, but Azmuth has done a lot of good, for more than one universe.

"If you need anything, though, don't hesitate to call us." When Midoriya looked confused, Ben smirked. "We can modify your phone to reach this universe, trust me."

"We owe you," Supergirl said. "You brought us the cure for Ben, and you saved our daughter's life. If you ever need us, we'll be there."

Midoriya stood and bowed respectfully. "I-it was no problem!"

Ben rolled his eyes. "Kid, a bit of advice—just say you're welcome, it'll speed things up."

"Oh." Midoriya hesitantly nodded. "Y-you're welcome."

"As for what we all just learned…" Ben sighed. "If I were you, I'd keep it under wraps. I don't think people would be happy if they found out your Earth had been tampered with by an alien. If you _do _want to tell someone, make sure you trust them."

Midoriya nodded again. There was _no _way he could keep this to himself forever; he'd have to tell someone, or it would eat at him until nothing was left. But who could he tell?

His mother? Possibly, but she wouldn't be able to give much advice.

Nezu? He'd be able to process it quickly, but Midoriya wasn't sure how he'd take finding out that his existence was due to a glitch.

The Big Three? They were only two years his senior, and had no idea about the Ultimatrix.

His friends in the Rising Stars? The same problem.

He then realized that he trusted _all_ of them. As those he held closest, they deserved to know—both about his world's secret, and his own.

…

It took another two hours, but Midoriya was eventually brought home; or, rather, to the beach he'd started at, though he didn't recognize it.

"What happened to all the trash?" he asked as he, Ken and Jen stepped through the portal. Even late at night, it was easy to see that the beach was pristine.

Ken shrugged. "All that garbage was bugging me, so I teleported it into the sun."

It spoke volumes of how done Midoriya was with that day that he didn't react to that statement. Instead, he just nodded tiredly, which got an understanding smile from Jen.

"It's a lot to take in," she said. "Just remember, you can call us if you need anything."

"I will. Thanks." Midoriya was about to ask for a ride to his house, when Jen grabbed him in a rib-shattering embrace.

"Thanks," she whispered. "For saving my dad. And me too, I guess."

Midoriya would have been embarrassed, getting a hug from someone he'd known for less than a day, but he was too busy not being able to breathe.

"Jen!" he gasped. "Air!"

"Sorry!" Jen let him go, and when Ken cackled, she glared at him. "Shut up, or I'll get revenge for that prank last week."

"Go right ahead," Ken dared, and then winked at Midoriya. "I stole her phone and made it play Uptown Funk for three hours straight. Well, Valerie helped."

"I knew it!" Jen dashed over and punched him on the arm. "I knew you were covering for her!"

Midoriya hadn't realized until that moment how grateful he was for their antics. That, and their easy acceptance of everything that he'd found out today, had done wonders to soothe his nerves. It almost made him confident in his decision to tell his friends and family what he'd learned, and what he'd been keeping secret.

"Um, th-thank you," he said as he sketched an awkward bow. "I'm still trying to figure all this out, but I think I'm glad I know now."

Ken, who had been holding his sister back with one hand against her forehead to keep her from hitting him, smiled. "Hey, it's no trouble on our end, and remember, if you ever need something, just ask."

Jen took advantage of her brother's distraction to kick him in the shin, and then turned to Midoriya. "And if anyone asks, you're just talking to your cousins in America. It'll mesh with your cover story, too!"

Midoriya blushed; he had told the Tennysons and their extended family about what he'd said and done to explain his 'Quirk', and they had all rolled with it in good humor. Ben had even said that he didn't mind having another cousin. Midoriya had been embarrassed, but there had been a warmth in his chest; his family really only consisted of his parents, so having people willing to even pretend to be part of his family meant a great deal.

Ken pulled out his phone for a moment. "Well, it's really late, and you've got school." He raised an eyebrow at Jen. "And so do you, so we should all head home."

Jen rolled her eyes, then hugged Midoriya again, much gentler this time. "See you around, Izuku; don't be a stranger."

Midoriya awkwardly hugged her back. "Y-yeah, I wouldn't mind talking to you all again. It was kind of fun."

Jen laughed and stepped back. "We'll try to have less killer mecha-worms and mass chaos next time. Maybe do something smaller, like stop a bank heist."

Ken nodded. "Ooh, or catch airplanes when they fall out of the sky! Superman does that every other month."

"Those airlines have really bad maintenance policies," Jen commented as she headed for the portal. "By, Izuku! Thanks again!"

After she was gone, Midoriya looked to Ken. "I g-guess she doesn't hate me anymore?"

Ken shook his head. "She never hated you. She might have doubted you because you weren't the one Dad meant to have the Ultimatrix, and she was stressed earlier today, but that's in the past for her. As far as she's concerned, she'll have your back, come hell or high water." He gently elbowed Midoriya. "And so will I, and just about all of our friends and family. The superhero community is pretty close on my Earth."

"Th-thanks," Midoriya said, and sincerely meant it. "And if y-you guys ever need me, I'll always be ready to help."

Ken ruffled his hair fondly. "Yeah, I can see why the Ultimatrix chose you. You're a good kid."

In a blur of motion, Ken brought him back to his home. It took Midoriya a moment to regain his balance, and when he turned to say goodbye one more time, Ken was already gone.

_Well, I can always talk to them later,_ he thought, and opened the door. He had barely entered the house when he saw his mother, sitting on the couch and looking very annoyed. He also noticed that she was holding the note he'd left.

"Um… I'm home?"

Inko narrowed her eyes. "I would like an explanation, Izuku." Her gaze traveled to the Ultimatrix. "And you, Ben."

Ben flickered into view and made a show of hiding behind Izuku. "Busted!"

…

By the time Izuku and Ben finished their story, it was almost two in the morning. Inko had spent the last twenty minutes drinking tea; she held the cup with trembling hands as the weight of Azmuth's revelations came crashing down on her.

"And you had no idea about any of this," she said to Ben.

The hologram shook his head. "I was programmed with limited information on the real Ben, and even less on Azmuth. I had no clue he'd even been to this universe, much less experimented on the people here."

Inko frowned and set aside her cup; she reached towards the television remote, and it slowly flew to her hand. "I… I have a lot to think about. But I do want to know one more thing." She looked Ben in the eye. "The other Ben was proud of Izuku?"

"He was completely selfless." Ben gave Izuku a look. "Maybe a little naïve, but his heart was in the right place. If I needed proof that he was the worthiest person to wield the Ultimatrix, I have it now."

Inko nodded; she walked over to her son and gave him a hug. "You scared the living daylights out of me, Izuku; please, if you're going to do something like this again, give me more than a note."

Izuku hugged her back. "Y-you're not mad?"

"Well, I'm not happy you ran off, but I've been encouraging you to be a Hero for a year, now. I'd be a hypocrite to be mad at you for doing the right thing." She smiled up at her son. "And you saved lives today, without getting hurt. I'm _proud _of you, my little Hero."

Izuku couldn't stop the tears that flowed down his cheeks, and his mother was quick to do the same. "Thanks, Mom."

"Now, I think you should get some sleep." Inko's wobbly smile was a perfect match for her son's. "Proud or not, you still have school."

"Yeah, okay. Goodnight, Mom." Izuku headed for his room and collapsed on his bed. "That went better than expected."

Ben nodded. "I kinda expected you to get grounded. I guess she was just happy you're okay."

Izuku was about to close his eyes when his phone buzzed; with a start, he realized that he'd missed dozens of messages from his friends while he'd been away.

"I need to tell them."

Ben shrugged. "It's your decision, buddy, but you should at least let them know you're okay."

"Right." Izuku took a deep breath and accessed his messenger app; none of his friends were active, but it wouldn't hurt to give them a message for when they woke up.

All Might: Hi, guys. I want you all to know that I'm okay. Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. Some stuff came up that I can't get into now. I promise to explain everything after school.

Izuku wondered if any of them would want to be his friends after he told them the truth. Maybe they'd even hate him. It would hurt, but he would understand; even if they didn't want anything to do with him after this, they deserved to know.

…

Uraraka could say with some confidence that she'd gotten good at reading Midoriya. Granted, he wasn't exactly a subtle person at the best of times, but her point stood. A casual observer might say that he was his typical nervous self as he got to school that morning, but Uraraka saw that it went deeper than that; every time his gaze landed on someone, it was as if he was seeing them with new eyes, and what he saw shook him.

He also looked tired; there were bags under his eyes, and if it weren't for the aforementioned anxiety, he looked ready to fall over.

Uraraka—not to mention the rest of their friends—was more than a little curious about what Midoriya wanted to tell them. When they tried to get answers at lunch, he froze, looked around nervously, and told them in no uncertain terms that it had to wait until they were alone. Whatever he wanted to talk about, it was for those he trusted most, apparently.

On the one hand, it was touching that Midoriya trusted them that much, but on the other hand, Uraraka was nervous about whatever he wanted to tell them. It was obviously important, but there was a haunted look in his eyes that had Uraraka wary.

When school finally ended, Midoriya led them to Gym Alpha, which was empty.

"I sent an email to Nezu-sensei last night and asked if he could make sure we could use this place," he said. "He'll be here soon."

Uraraka blinked in surprise; she hadn't known that Midoriya had regular contact with the principal, and if her friends' reactions were anything to go by, neither had they.

"Ah, good, you're here!" Sure enough, the little principal strolled into the gym, a steaming mug held in one paw. "My apologies, Midoriya-san, but the others you requested can't be here today. If you wish, you can tell them later."

Midoriya nodded. "Thank you, Nezu-sensei, I will." He took a deep, shuddering breath, and turned to his friends. "So… you're probably wondering what this is about."

"Yes," Todoroki answered simply, with one eyebrow raised.

"Right." Midoriya sat down on a bench and stared at his watch. "I need to tell you all some things. I… I lied to you about some stuff, and I learned something yesterday that I had to share with someone. If you don't want to be friends with me afterwards, I understand…" He paused and rubbed at his eyes for a moment. "But you deserve to know the truth."

Uraraka sat next to him. "Deku-kun, what is it?"

Midoriya waited until everyone had found a seat somewhere—Nezu had decided that Iida's shoulder made for a good perch—and then held his watch out in front of him.

"Show them."

The other students all jumped when a boy in a green jacket suddenly flickered into view. He smiled and waved at them.

"Hi, everyone," he said. "I am the tutorial program for the Ultimatrix. I was created in the image of Ben Tennyson; you can all just call me Ben."

Uraraka stared, and then turned to Midoriya, who was keeping his eyes locked on his feet. "Izuku?"

"Right, so this started about a year ago…"

…

It took several hours for Midoriya to tell them the entire story. By the time he was done, everyone had missed their trains home, but no one really cared. They were rooted to the spot as they processed everything they had learned. Even Nezu was unable to keep up his cheery smile, and was deep in thought.

"Aliens." That was the first word Yaoyorozu had said since the story began; she had taken notes at first, but her arms had hung limply at her sides for a while now. "We have our Quirks because of alien DNA."

"Y-yeah." Midoriya swallowed nervously. "I reacted pretty much the same way last night."

Ashido was sitting on the floor, staring at her hands with wide eyes. "So, if this 'Azmuth' guy hadn't messed with our planet… I wouldn't be pink?"

"I believe that Izuku is saying that none of us would look as we do," Iida said, absently reaching down to rub one of his calves. "Except, perhaps, Izuku and Momo. Or anyone whose Quirk does not alter their appearance."

Sero's hand drifted to one elbow. "And this was done to us because that guy was trying to build that watch?"

Ben, who had chimed in whenever Midoriya had seemed stuck, waved his hand in a so-so manner. "Technically, it was for the Omnitrix, but yeah."

"Izuku, why didn't you tell us about that—what did you call it? The Ultimatrix? Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Uraraka looked like she was about to cry; whether it was from a sense of betrayal, or just being overwhelmed by everything she'd learned, it made Midoriya flinch.

"I'm really sorry." He shrank in on himself, arms pulling his knees to his chest. "I just… everyone always treated me like I was worthless because I didn't have a Quirk, and then you guys became my friends, and I thought…"

"You were so used to people wanting nothing to do with you because you're Quirkless, so you thought it might happen again." Asui, who sat on his other side, nodded shakily. "That's it, ribbit, right?"

Midoriya could only nod.

The part of Uraraka that wasn't reeling from what she'd just learned wanted to be upset with him. They were friends, and he had lied to them all since day one—though the lack of surprise on Nezu's face when Midoriya had explained the Ultimatrix suggested that he knew about it. On the other hand, Midoriya had said before that he'd never had friends because he 'thought' he was Quirkless… when in reality, he _was _Quirkless. Uraraka had nothing against Quirkless people, but she had seen reports on the news about the occasional hate crime against those without Quirks. She had always thought that that was ridiculously bigoted, but after what she had learned, the Quirkless were the most normal of them all.

She looked down at her hands, and the soft pads on her fingertips. If Azmuth had never experimented on their Earth, would the lack of those pads be the only thing different about her? Would she have been the same kind of person? Would she have ever met her friends?

_Would I have never met Deku-kun?_

Uraraka didn't know it, but all of her friends were going through similar thoughts. And all of them considered, in a moment of irrationality, to blame Midoriya—but he was as shocked as they were, with the benefit of having an extra day to process it.

And just because he was Quirkless didn't mean he was unaffected by Azmuth's actions; he was Quirkless _because _of Azmuth, which had left him feeling like a freak for most of his life. The Ultimatrix had finally allowed him to fit in with everyone else, and even be admired for it, which was why he had lied. If anything, coming clean was a sign of how much he trusted them all.

Uraraka couldn't find it in her to be mad at him. Still…

"Is there anything else you haven't told us?"

Midoriya blinked. "Er… I've been training with the Big Three on Saturdays?"

Yaoyorozu tilted her head. "That explains why Hado-san had that nickname for you, but what does that have to do with your other secrets?"

"N-nothing." Midoriya flinched again when his friends all gave him a look. "I don't know, it was the only thing I haven't told you!"

Uraraka sighed and rested her head on Midoriya's shoulder. "Okay. Okay. So, what do we do now?"

Nezu shook himself out of whatever thoughts were plaguing him and addressed the students. "I suggest that we keep this information to ourselves. Even if anyone were to believe us, the result would only be mass panic; our society is already a powder keg, there's not need to keep the gasoline next door." He glanced up at Midoriya. "However, if you think Togata-san, Hado-san and Amajiki-san can be trusted, I will ensure that they will be present."

"Th-thank you, Nezu-sensei." Midoriya tentatively put his arm around Uraraka's shoulders. "So, you aren't mad?"

Uraraka frowned. "I'm not happy that you lied to us, but I understand why you did. Just promise me that you won't do it again, please?"

"I c-can't say that I'll share secrets that aren't mine," Midoriya said nervously, "but if it has anything to do with me, I'll come to you guys."

Ashido giggled; at first, everyone thought it was because of how cute Uraraka and Midoriya looked together, but then they heard the slightly hysterical edge to it.

"And how are we gonna deal with the fact that we're all part alien?" she asked.

To everyone's surprise, it was Todoroki who answered. "Honestly, it doesn't matter much to me. It answers where Quirks come from, but it doesn't affect our daily lives, does it? We are who we are. Finding out the origins of Quirks doesn't change that I want to be a Hero."

At the unspoken challenge in his tone, his classmates straightened up.

"You are absolutely right, Shoto!" Iida began chopping enthusiastically. "If anything, we should be proud that the past has forged us into aspiring Heroes!"

"I agree," Yaoyorozu said, and smiled at Midoriya. "And thank you for trusting us."

Ashido looked uncertain for a moment, but then, to the surprise of everyone, Todoroki put a hand on her shoulder, and she smiled.

"Hey, I just realized," she said, "now, I really am the Alien Queen!"

That was the last straw; that little joke was enough to send all of the students into a laughing fit. Some of the laughter was a release of stress, and the rest was relief; though their view of the world had changed, that didn't mean that their chosen paths had.

They would still become Heroes, and they'd do it together.

…

A universe away, Ben rolled his eyes as Kara literally carried him into the house. "We could have just had the Watchtower teleport us home."

"Considering what you've been through, I'm not risking you getting your molecules tossed a million miles for at least a week," Kara said archly.

Ben raised an eyebrow. "Still, taking a Javelin into the atmosphere, and then flying us home? I think you're overdoing it."

Kara just shook her head as she sat Ben on the couch, and then ran her fingers through his grey hair. "First you got those grey streaks, and now this. You're starting to look your age."

"Hey, I'm like a fine wine," Ben protested, and then grinned roguishly. "I just get better with age."

Kara smiled good-naturedly, and then kissed his cheek. "Stay here, I'll heat up those leftovers."

"With the microwave this time?" Ben asked nervously. "You almost set the house on fire with your heat-vision last week."

"You're lucky you're recovering, or I'd throw you into the sun for that." Kara poked him in the shoulder, though it was with enough force to knock him over on the couch. "I'll be back in a minute."

Ben watched her leave, and then closed his eyes for a moment. "I know you're there, Paradox; between Bruce and you, I'm good at knowing when someone's sneaking up on me."

Professor Paradox smiled as he stepped into view. "Hello, Ben; it's good to see that you survived your ordeal."

Ben opened his eyes and glanced at an old clock nearby; the hands had stopped moving, which meant that Paradox had stopped time for this little conversation. Whatever his time-traveling friend wanted to talk about, he didn't want to be interrupted.

"I'm guessing that there are timelines where I didn't make it?"

Paradox's smile turned sad. "Indeed; there are infinite possibilities across the multiverse, my friend." He then held out a paper bag. "Gumball?"

Ben glanced back in the direction of the kitchen. "Eh, Kara's frozen in time right now, so what the heck."

As Ben popped the candy in his mouth, Paradox turned to face the clock. "How long will you be mad at Azmuth for?"

"Probably a while," Ben admitted. "What he did was wrong, and he knew it."

"He was desperate to finish the Omnitrix," Paradox said. "You may not be aware, but your universe was on the verge of dozens of wars, and Azmuth had become convinced that the Omnitrix was the best chance of peace."

"But it was never used for that purpose," Ben pointed out. "What changed?"

"The Plumbers were able to defuse the situation in key areas, creating a domino effect." Azmuth chuckled. "You might have noticed that Azmuth gets tunnel vision when it comes to his passion projects."

Ben sighed. "Like I said, what he did was wrong, but he _is _still one of the only friends I have left from back home… even if he is a huge jerk half the time. But I'm guessing you didn't come here to discuss the drama?"

"Sadly, no." Paradox turned to face him, and Ben saw something he never thought he'd see in his eyes—fear. "I came to deliver a warning. Something is coming, Ben; something so dangerous that even I dare not stray too close to look for details. When it comes, the champions of the multiverse must band together, or we will all die."

Ben rested his elbows on his knees and sighed. "How long do we have?"

"A year at the most, but likely far sooner." Paradox pulled out a pocket watch and stared at it for a moment. "For now, I am doing what I can to locate those champions. Two are on this Earth, which is why I am here to warn you."

"I'll be ready," Ben promised.

"That is assuming that _you _are one of those champions," Paradox warned. "This is a cosmic game, with rules and players that have been chosen eons in advance by forces beyond even my comprehension. All I have narrowed down is that one of this world's champions is _a _Tennyson, but it might not be you."

"Got it." Ben made a mental note to have his family train harder over the coming months. "Any other news?"

"I believe that two more champions are from Midoriya's Earth." Paradox shrugged. "It is likely that your young friend is one of them. However, I do have a lead on how to locate the others; please inform the Justice League that I will be borrowing John Constantine for a while."

"Zatanna won't be happy, but I'll let them know." Ben tried to relax, but with Paradox's warning fresh in his mind, it was hard. "Say hi to Secret for us, okay? We haven't seen her in a while."

"Of course; she's just running some errands for me." Paradox paused, and then put his hand on Ben's shoulder. "Be vigilant, my friend; this danger, this… Crisis… threatens all of creation. I do not think all of us will make it out of this alive."

Ben blinked at that, and when he did, Paradox was gone, and time resumed its march. He sat back to think, and didn't notice Kara's return until she placed the food on his lap.

"Here you go," she said, and then saw how pale her husband was. "Ben? What is it?"

Ben picked up his fork, but his appetite was gone. "I just got a visit from an old friend."

_(Datte Atashi no Hiro—LiSA, TV Version)_

_The music starts, and the scene opens to show Midoriya walking to school. Holo-Ben walks behind him, only to fade and be replaced by the real Ben Tennyson. He also fades as Midoriya enters the gates of UA and runs up to his friends. There are several fast shots of them in different classes, and then it changes to them in various stages of putting on their costumes._

_The scene changes again; this time, the Rising Stars are split up. Yaoyorozu, Uraraka and Ashido are fighting thugs at the USJ, Sero and Asui are leaping over obstacles, and Midoriya, Todoroki and Iida are facing Stain. The scenes dissolve and leave Midoriya, battered and bruised, with his visor on the ground, facing a line of enemies; on the left is Stain and the first Nomu, while on the right is Shigaraki and Kurogiri. In the center is a tall, shadowy figure who reaches out for him._

_Midoriya takes a step back, only for hands to rest on his shoulders and back. He turns his head and sees Holo-Ben on his right, Ben on his left, and All Might and Hawks directly behind him. The four of them fade, replaced by the Rising Stars, and the Big Three behind them; further back is the rest of Class 1-A and the UA teachers._

_Midoriya blinks away tears, and then picks up his visor. He secures it on his face, smiles, and then holds up the Ultimatrix._

**I want to apologize for taking longer with this chapter, but I had some bad news. Remember a while back, when my dog busted her foot? Well, my **_**other**_** dog had surgery on her leg to remove what turned out to be a malignant tumor. She's got cancer, and we're in the 'wait and see' part of it, because we don't know how bad it is. So… yeah. I'm in a bad place, because I've had this dog for 12 years.**

**Anyway, moving on.**

**Ominous warnings are ominous. This is just setup for a major crossover event for **_**much**_** later down the line. If you know DC, you know that anything with the word 'Crisis' attached to it is bad news.**

**Anyway, Azmuth created Quirks as an experiment. If you remember that he once created a sword that was basically the Infinity Gauntlet, and you know how protective he is of the Omnitrix/Ultimatrix, so… not entirely unfeasible. Plus, hey, 'They aren't from my universe, not my problem', though since then, he's become a lot more aware of his actions' consequences. It's been a couple hundred years, after all, and he's had time to think about it. There will be more to this plot thread, but not until later.**

**Also, yes, Midoriya and friends are shaken by this news, but it's not like they found out that **_**they **_**were experimented on. It's like a historical find that's certainly shocking, but it doesn't change **_**them**_**.**

**As always, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. You can download it as a PDF from my website (link in my profile), or get it on Amazon as an eBook or physical copy. Sales give me much-needed cash, and they make me feel good about myself.**

**If you want to support me on P-atreon instead, you can find a link to that in my profile. Those of you who donate can earn thanks in the chapters, receive chapters early, and even get a free PDF of my book at the top tier! Any and all donations are welcome!**

**Speaking of which, I'd like to thank the following Patrons:**

**Serious Muffins: jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, John Collins, Red Bard, Aaron Meek, Shaolin Khalil, killroy225**

**Incredible Muffins:** **RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844**

**Ultra Muffins:** **Adam Costello, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Midoriya trains for his exams, but real-life drama rears both its unwelcome head, and its rarer welcome one. Meanwhile, the hands of fate shuffle the deck, and let the cards fall where they may…**

**Stay safe out there!**

**Plus Muffin!**


	21. Fate Turns

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. AFTER AN EMBARASSING INCIDENT WITH A LAWNMOWER, I HAVE DECIDED THAT EDNA WAS RIGHT. I WILL NO LONGER INCORPORATE A CAPE INTO MY HERO COSTUME.**

**Okay, let's see if Midoriya can have one normal week of school where nothing happens.**

**Pfft! HAHAHAHA!**

**Sorry, couldn't type that with a straight face.**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 21

Fate Turns

Yaoyorozu was objectively an extremely intelligent girl. It was obvious that she was a genius after spending just a few minutes with her. However, she had a tendency to overthink things, to the point that she would miss the obvious.

In this case, she was kicking herself for not figuring out that Midoriya's 'Quirk' was something completely different. In fact, she was surprised that no one had ever called him out on the Ultimatrix; people were just so enamored with his power, because that was how one was judged in a society where Quirks were everything.

Considering that Midoriya didn't actually have a Quirk, and was reminded every day when someone said how cool he was, it must have been painful.

Now that Yaoyorozu knew the truth, that simple fact made her sick. Midoriya had been living in constant fear that someone might find out about the watch, and if the truth came out, the government would probably take the Ultimatrix away, and Midoriya would be arrested for fraud, all because he wanted to help people.

On the next Sunday, when her friends were at her house, she called on one person who might have an idea of how to help Midoriya—though calling him a person was up for debate.

"Ben?" she called out softly from the kitchen, where she was getting snacks for the next movie. "Are you there?"

It had taken a few days for Midoriya's friends to get used to Ben, but now that they knew about him, they made an effort to include the hologram whenever they could. Soon, it was like he had always been a part of the group—though, technically, he had. He just couldn't spend the same amount of time with them; he had explained that he could either allow only Midoriya to see him, or everyone, so he had to be careful.

To her surprise, the hologram did indeed flicker into view. "Yeah, just taking a tour of the place. Your house is huge! I mean, I already knew that, but it's something else to wander around."

"You can do that?" Yaoyorozu didn't know how she felt about the AI that could turn invisible to all but Midoriya at the drop of a hat wandering through her home.

Ben shrugged. "The range is limited, but I got a good look at the aquarium. How did your parents get a hammerhead shark?"

"They never told me," Yaoyorozu muttered, a little sullen, but then returned her focus to her question. "Anyway, I was hoping you could tell me something."

"Sure, go ahead." Ben crossed his arms. "There are a few things I can't disclose, though; it would go against my programming."

"Right. Um…" Yaoyorozu glanced back in the direction of her friends. "Is Izuku all right?"

Ben tilted his head. "In what way?"

"It's just that… he's been jumpy since I've met him, and I suspect he's been that way for a long time." Yaoyorozu frowned. "He was mistreated by people because he's Quirkless. Is he still afraid of that happening again?"

"Probably," Ben said. "He doesn't talk about it as much as he used to, so I think he's doing better. Actually, he's been a little less nervous than normal since he came clean with you guys. You were the first real people to be his friends, and I think that's all he cares about."

Yaoyorozu was touched, but also worried; with so few people that cared for the real Midoriya, it was a small foundation.

_He's powerful, but he's still fragile._

"Thank you for telling me," she said. "I promise that we'll do all we can for him."

"Careful how you phrase that," Ben teased. "Uraraka's already making moves, and I don't think Izuku's poor heart could handle two girls fighting over him."

Yaoyorozu blushed at the implication, though it wasn't true; yes, Midoriya was cute, but he wasn't her type. For one thing, she preferred someone who didn't have to tilt their head back to look her in the eye.

Ben grinned and vanished, leaving Yaoyorozu to fume alone. After a minute, she grabbed the snacks and rejoined the others in the theater. There, she saw what Ben had been talking about—Uraraka was pressed into Midoriya's side, head on his shoulder. She had been doing that a lot over the week, and Yaoyorozu suspected that it was only a matter of time before one of them finally confessed to the other.

Midoriya, slightly red-faced—from Ashido's teasing, if the pink girl's saucy grin was anything to go by—turned and smiled at her. "H-hey, Momo, Tenya was about to start the movie!"

"Then I came at the right time," Yaoyorozu said as she handed out the food, though she knew Iida wouldn't have started without her. She then took the spare seat on Midoriya's other side. "I think you'll like Thor, Ochako."

"I don't know, Iron Man has been really good so far." Uraraka barely shifted to look at the other girl. "What's this Thor guy got?"

"A hammer that defies gravity," Yaoyorozu teased.

Uraraka reached around Midoriya and held out one hand. "Popcorn, please."

…

The following Monday, Class 1-A took their seats and waited for Aizawa to enter. As always, he gave them a sharp look to make sure that the students weren't goofing off; when he saw them sitting attentively, he nodded.

"All right, before we begin, there's an announcement I need to make." Aizawa shuffled a few papers on his desk. "In a few weeks, you'll have your final exams before summer. I expect you all to study and train even harder; the written portion will be your most difficult so far, and the practical portion is brutal." He gave the class one of his rare sadistic smiles. "Students have been known to drop out of the Hero Course altogether just from trying to pass."

Midoriya bit his lip nervously, but the groan from Ashido was telling—thanks to tutoring from him, Yaoyorozu and Todoroki, she had risen to fifteenth in the class. However, a bad grade on the written part of the finals would send her plummeting back down to the bottom.

Aizawa sighed, as if what he was about to say next personally offended him. "Don't worry, there's more than just the stick as an incentive. The metaphorical carrot is the Summer Training Camp that UA holds every year. Think of it as a camping trip, though you'll be working to improve your Quirks and your skills while there." Before the class could even finish the first murmurs, Aizawa's hair rose and his eyes glowed, and they settled down. "However, if you fail the test, you can forget about going—in fact, if you do badly enough, you should seriously rethink being a Hero. Only the best will graduate from UA and become Pros. Remember that."

The class mulled that over as they started working, but as soon as they got a break, they split up into groups to talk amongst themselves.

"We're _all _going to the summer camp, right?" Uraraka asked. "I don't want to go without you guys, and I don't want to be left behind!"

Iida nodded vigorously. "I feel the same! The coming weeks will push our bodies and minds to their limits, and beyond!"

Midoriya had an idea about that, though he'd have to ask Nezu if it was okay; he was sure that it was, but he would have a lot of apologizing to do if he was wrong.

"Hey, remember what I said I did on Saturdays?" he whispered. "I think you could all join me. It might help for the practical exam."

"And we can study at Yaomomo's house for the written portion!" Ashido clasped her hands and pouted at Yaoyorozu. "You'll help me, right?"

"Of course," the other girl said, "but I expect you to have better than a passing grade."

Ashido gave her a thumbs-up. "You got it! And then we can have fun at the summer camp! Oh, I can't wait!"

"First, let's pass the exam, ribbit," Asui said. "Then we can have fun."

Sero cracked his knuckles. "Then let's get to it!"

…

Hero Training that day was one they were all looking forward to—combat training, which included Quirks. All Might was the teacher that day, along with Nezu, who had stopped by.

"Have any of the students shown any noticeable changes?" Nezu asked. "Good or bad, but I would like to know."

All Might nodded. "They've all shown at least a little improvement, but I'd say that the highest marks have to go to young Bakugo, as well as young Midoriya and his friends." His eyes widened. "Excuse me."

The Symbol of Peace vanished in a blur, and caught Kirishima before he collided with the far wall. The boy looked up at him and grinned; he was a little scuffed up, but his full-body Hardening had kept him from getting too hurt.

"Thanks, All Might-sensei," he said. "I got taken by surprise. Can I get back to the fight?"

"Yeah! Rath isn't done with this fight!"

Midoriya's newest transformation had surprised All Might; its form wasn't the strangest, but its impact on his personality had been polarizing. Rath, as he called himself, looked like a humanoid tiger, with a large claw curving forward on the back of his hands. He wore jeans and a black tank top, and the dial that came with all his transformations as part of a belt. The man-tiger bounced eagerly on the balls of his feet, impatient to go at Kirishima once again; his fighting style had been pure aggression, the unstoppable force to Kirishima's immovable object.

Well, immovable until Rath had punched him out of the ring with the force of a cannon.

"Very well, you two, but please try not to destroy the entire gym," All Might said, and put Kirishima down.

"We'll do our best!" Kirishima took a moment to reinforce his Hardening, and then charged. "Come on, Midoriya, don't tell me that's the best you've got!"

Rath let out a roar and met him head-on. "Let me tell you something, Kirishima Eijiro! Rath only held back because he didn't want to break the school, but you asked for it!"

Kirishima held up his arms to block Rath's punch; this time, he braced himself properly, which kept him from another involuntary flying lesson. Still, he was sent reeling; the force from the blow was enough that he could feel it through his Hardening!

With his arms covering his face, Kirishima didn't see Rath's open hand until he gripped his wrist and heaved him over his shoulder. Rath slammed him up and down for what felt like an eternity, the attacks coming so hard and so fast that Kirishima couldn't react. It was all he could to do maintain his Hardening, but he could feel his control slipping.

Finally, Rath let go, but Kirishima had barely started to get up from the mat when he saw his opponent jump into the air, body parallel to the floor and elbow extended in a way that Kirishima had only seen on TV.

_You've gotta be kidding me!_

"Polaris Piledriver!"

The impact was too much for Kirishima, and he was forced out of his Hardening. The breath left his lungs in a rush, and his body immediately felt like one giant bruise. Barely able to move, he tapped his hand weakly against the mat to signal that he was done.

Rath jumped to his feet and pumped a fist. "Yeah! Rath wins! Rath is king!"

Sero, who had taken a break after his own spar with Sato, chuckled. "Hey, Your Majesty, you wanna tone it down a notch?"

"Fine, whatever," Rath growled, but tapped the dial on his belt, and turned back to normal. He immediately ran over to Kirishima and helped him up. "I'm so sorry, Kirishima-san! I told you Rath was dangerous, but I've never actually used him in a fight, so I got a little… carried away."

Kirishima took a few deep breaths, but grinned with good humor. "Hey, no worries, Midoriya; I mean, I've been bugging you to use that one since last week." He winced. "Damn, but Rath packs a punch."

All Might let go of the tension he hadn't realized he'd had until now. Midoriya had struck him as a very kind soul, so seeing him fight so ruthlessly was alarming. He had been ready to intervene if the boy took things too far, but it turned out that he had enough self-control to stop.

Once again, All Might felt a little ashamed of himself. Every time Midoriya used a new part of his Quirk, he was reminded of All For One; during their fight six years ago, that man had pulled out a new power every ten seconds, and while none of them had been as outwardly drastic as Midoriya's transformations, seeing someone with such variety brought up too many bad memories. His mind and his heart told him to be kinder to his student, but something—maybe his instincts, maybe the remnants of One For All seeing a similarity between Midoriya and his nemesis—screamed 'threat'. Even Nezu's assurance that there was no connection hadn't completely removed his doubts.

_At least young Midoriya has friends to keep him on the straight and narrow, _he thought, as Sero and Todoroki walked over and started talking to Midoriya. _I doubt All For One ever had anyone even try._

…

Asui was the first to notice that something was off about Midoriya and Uraraka as school ended. It was a small thing, really; both looked like they were about to speak to one another, but then decided against it at the last second. At first, Asui ignored it, but it happened more and more as they prepared to leave the school. Finally, when Uraraka glanced at her for a split second, Asui saw the embarrassed question in her eyes, and she made her decision.

"Make a distraction," she whispered to Sero. "Trust me."

Sero maintained his smile as easily as Asui maintained her blank expression, and reacted with believable surprise when she stepped on his foot. He yelped in pain, though Asui hadn't stepped that hard, and tape shot out of one elbow in 'reflex'. It hit Todoroki, who stumbled into Ashido, and they both fell; Iida and Yaoyorozu hurried over to check on them. Sero apologized profusely, maintaining the façade for another few minutes, until the realization dawned on them.

Midoriya and Uraraka were gone.

…

"H-hey, Ochako, what's going on?" Midoriya stumbled as Uraraka pulled at his wrist. "We should check on the others!"

"It's fine," she assured him, though her words were shaky. "I asked Tsu to do something, and I guess she got Sero to make a scene. I just… I needed to talk to you in private, and I didn't want to be rude to everyone else."

"Oh." Midoriya blinked; Uraraka had brought them to a shady corner of campus, under a tree. "I g-guess I wanted to talk to you, too."

"Really?" Uraraka wished her heart would stop beating so fast. It was probably unhealthy at this point. "Wait, hold on a second. Ben?"

Thankfully, no one else was around when Ben flickered into view. "Yeah?"

"Can you also give us a minute?" Uraraka bit her lip; she could feel her face heating up. "Please?"

"Sure thing." Ben grinned knowingly at them, then plugged his ears and slowly faded away. "La-la-la, I'm not listening…"

After he was gone, Uraraka and Midoriya looked at each other and stared for a moment.

"S-so, I was wondering/Deku-kun, can I ask—"

The words jumbled together as both spoke at the same time. They stopped, and both opened their mouths to speak; they stopped again, smiled, and laughed.

"You go first," Uraraka said.

"No, you brought us here," Midoriya insisted. "_You _go first."

Uraraka took a deep breath. _Come on, Ochako, you can do this. You've faced Villains, this is nothing! _

… _Oh, who am I kidding, I'd take Villains over this any day._

"Okay, Deku-kun…" Uraraka looked up into his eyes. "I, uh, wanted to know if you were doing anything after school on Friday?"

"Nothing in particular…" Midoriya's brow furrowed; Uraraka could practically see him put the metaphorical pencil to paper, ready to connect the dots. "Why?"

"I was wondering if you'd l-like to go somewhere with me." Uraraka mentally patted herself on the back for only stammering once, before going in for the knockout. "And, to be clear, I mean this as a… as a date."

As expected, Midoriya's face turned an alarming shade of red; unexpectedly, rather than flail about, he gave her that wobbly smile that she found adorable.

"R-really? Sure! I mean, I w-was going to ask y-you the s-same th-thing."

They stared at each other for a long moment, and then both burst out laughing.

"We're hopeless, aren't we?" Uraraka wiped away a tear. "The others have been teasing us for _weeks_, and now…"

"They're never going to let us live this down." Midoriya said ruefully, but his smile never faded. "B-but, um, what are we going to do on our d-d-date?"

Uraraka froze. "You know, I was so focused on this moment, I didn't actually think that far ahead."

They both fell into another fit of giggles.

"Yeah, it's like you said." Midoriya tentatively reached out and took her hand. "We're hopeless."

"Yep." Uraraka looked up at him, and then blinked. "Darn it. I need to catch my train, but I don't want to leave."

"We'll see each other tomorrow?" Midoriya offered.

Uraraka smiled; she then took a moment to gather her courage for one more step, and gently kissed him on the cheek.

Midoriya froze, to the point that he actually thought his heart stopped. Uraraka Ochako, the girl he'd finally admitted to having feelings for, _had just kissed him_. For a moment, all he could focus on was her face; the blush on her cheeks, her smile, and her sparkling eyes…

All of which changed into a mortified expression, and Midoriya felt his heart drop into his stomach. Had he done something wrong? Was she regretting her actions? Did she realize that she didn't really like him after all? Then he saw that she wasn't looking at him—rather, at something behind him.

He turned, and saw the rest of their friends watching them. Yaoyorozu had her hands over her mouth as she bounced in place. Ashido and Sero had matching grins. Iida had a proud smile on his face. The only ones who hardly reacted were Asui and Todoroki; both kept their expressions blank, though they each gave a thumbs-up.

Ben flickered into view and took one look at Midoriya and Uraraka. He grinned, and a bow appeared in his hands; arrows with heart-shaped tips appeared next, and he pretended to shoot them at the new couple.

"So, um…" Uraraka took a step back, and then started to run. "Seeyouguystomorrowokaybye!"

To avoid further embarrassment for the day, Midoriya ran along with her to get to his own train. If they 'happened' to brush against each other as they ran, they didn't comment, but it was probably one of the reasons they couldn't stop smiling.

…

"Oh, my baby!"

Izuku was starting to wonder if his mother had a strength-enhancing Quirk that she'd never revealed, if her rib-cracking hug was anything to go by. To be fair, he should have known that she'd react like that when he told her about what had happened with Uraraka, along with the rivers of tears.

"I'm so happy for you, Izuku!" Inko finally took a step back and wiped her tears away. "This girl sounds absolutely wonderful, and I know that she's lucky to have you, too!"

"Mom!" Izuku looked away, embarrassed, but he couldn't keep the goofy grin off his face. "Y-yeah, I think I'm pretty lucky."

"Well, I'll leave you to it, young man." Inko smiled as brightly as her son could ever remember. "I'm just glad that you're having some normalcy in your life. I was worried you'd be so involved with becoming a Hero that you'd shut out everything else."

Izuku thought about how his friends had decided to stick with him, even after finding out he'd lied to them. "I don't think I have to worry about that, Mom."

"Good. Oh, and about your date?" Izuku shivered at the mischievous look in his mother's eyes. "I don't have a problem with you going out, since I know you'll have a chaperone. Right, Ben?"

Ben, who had been 'sitting' on the couch watching them, nodded. "You got it. I'll make sure they're home at a reasonable hour."

Izuku gave him a look. "How would you do that?"

Ben pointed at the Ultimatrix. "Break the rules, and I'll withhold the Ultimate function for an extra week."

"I'll be good," Izuku promised quickly.

"And now I feel better," Inko said. "Oh, Izuku, if you have any questions, I'm sure I could share some stories about your father and I when we first started dating—"

"Actually, I still have some homework, so I'm going to get right on that, bye!" Izuku grabbed his backpack and ran to his room, the laughter of Ben and his mother ringing in his ears.

_I hope Ochako isn't going through something like this._

…

A small part of Uraraka was wishing that she'd never met some of her friends. She didn't mean it in the slightest, but it would have saved her a lot of teasing. At least it was only on the chat that the girls had set up for themselves, but still…

Crayon: I new it! I new u 2 wud get 2gether! Ha!

Frog: I wish I'd bet some money, ribbit. Ochako, you still owe me for buying you two some time.

Book: It was very sweet of you, Tsuyu… almost as sweet as that exchange between Ochako and Izuku.

Crayon: It was adorkable, and I luv it!

Comet: Thanks. Would you three please get boyfriends so that I can tease you?

Frog: All in good time, ribbit.

Crayon: boyfriend? U 2 alredy making it oficial?

Frog: Honestly, if I didn't know better, I'd have thought you and Izuku had been together for a while.

Book: ^

Crayon: ^

Comet: Well, we like each other, OK? Can we at least have our date before going further?

Crayon: How much further? :P

Uraraka blushed and shut her phone off. Her hands went to her face in embarrassment, which immediately sent her floating through the air. She canceled her Quirk before she flew too high, and landed with a thud on the floor.

"Ouch," she hissed, and rubbed her sore knee. She'd done worse to herself whenever she accidentally made herself float, but she'd gotten much better at mitigating it after training at UA, and with Gunhead.

Her knee did little to distract her from her embarrassment; earlier, when she called her parents to let them know that she was going on her first date, her father had thrown an exaggerated fit. He had gone on and on about how 'his little baby girl was all grown up', until her mother had finally wrestled the phone away from him. She had then asked her daughter if she needed a refresher on 'the Talk'; it had been asked with such sincerity that Ochako hadn't been able to tell if she'd been teasing or not.

"At least my friends will stop messing with us after a few days," she muttered. "I'm going to have to deal with Mom and Daddy for_ever_." She paused. "Wait, am I already calling us 'us'!?"

…

The week came and went in a blur for Midoriya. There were no Villain attacks, no internships, and no 'logical deceptions' from Aizawa, so by his standards, it had been a pretty boring week. There was only one noticeable change to his routine—Uraraka.

She hadn't exactly gotten clingy since they'd decided to date, but she stayed a bit closer to him whenever they walked together. She also smiled at him more; of course, she usually smiled around him, but now there was just a little more to it.

They had decided on something simple for their first date—a simple dinner, and a walk down the beach. Specifically, Dagobah Beach, which had briefly been on the news when it had been discovered that someone had cleaned it up in a single night. Midoriya and his friends knew the truth, and it had become like a shared joke between them whenever it was brought up.

The only hiccup in the planning for the date was the method of transportation. Midoriya could get there fairly easily, but Uraraka needed to take a train. She had originally been fine with paying for a couple of extra tickets, but Midoriya had offered to give her a ride.

"You don't have a car," Uraraka had pointed out.

"You're right." Midoriya had tapped the Ultimatrix with one finger. "I've got something better."

Uraraka's eyes had gone wide. "Deku-kun, you can't do that! We don't have licenses to use our Quirks in public!"

"Actually, the law specifically states that we can't use our Quirks to 'disrupt public affairs, damage property, or injure someone outside of self-defense if the attacker uses a Quirk first'," he had replied. "I can fly over the clouds, and no one will notice."

Uraraka had tried to argue against it, but he was technically right. They had even brought the matter up with Iida and Yaoyorozu—on the condition that they not speak about it to the others. They had agreed that Midoriya's plan skirted the edges of what was considered acceptable Quirk use, but it was the kind of thing that was generally overlooked, unless someone caused a scene. Midoriya had promised that no scenes would be caused, which was enough for them.

Which was why, on Friday night, Uraraka was waiting outside her apartment for Midoriya to literally pick her up. It was exactly six-thirty when Jetray swooped in to land in front of her.

"H-hey, Ochako," he said nervously. "Y-you look n-nice."

Uraraka nervously brushed some hair behind her ear. She hadn't really put extra effort into her appearance; a dress wasn't exactly suited to walking on the beach, after all. She was wearing a dark-green tank top under a pink button-up shirt, and a pair of white shorts; the only thing she'd added was a little makeup, something she'd only used a handful of times.

"Th-thanks, Deku-kun." She looked at Jetray dubiously. "Um, how are we getting to the restaurant? Can your arms carry me _and _fly?"

"N-no." Jetray turned and presented his back to him. "Just hold on tight."

"Really?"

"Or I can carry you with my feet."

Without another word, Uraraka hopped onto his back and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Don't worry, we'll be there in less than a minute. Right, Ben?"

"What am I, your GPS?" Ben grumbled from inside the Ultimatrix. "Just don't hit any turbulence, and you'll be fine."

Uraraka most certainly did _not _squeak when Jetray took off into the sky, and she would send anyone who suggested otherwise into orbit. Thankfully, the terror was over almost as soon as it began, because Jetray pulled in to land in an alley, where he could transform without anyone seeing him.

"S-sorry," Midoriya said. "I didn't mean to scare you."

He sounded so miserable that Uraraka couldn't stay mad at him. Instead, she just rolled her eyes and looped her arm through his.

"It's fine," she promised. "Come on, let's get some food!"

As she led Midoriya down the street, she took a moment to take in her date's appearance. He wore grey shorts that went just past his knees, and an open blue shirt over a white t-shirt. There were also his ever-present red shoes, which made Uraraka wonder if he had ever worn shoes that weren't that color.

What had her distracted were the muscles she could feel under his shirt. They weren't excessively bulky, like All Might, but the muscles of someone who regularly exercised and kept to a healthy lifestyle. After a moment's consideration, she decided that a bodybuilder wasn't to her taste anyway.

"You too," she said.

"Huh?"

"You said I looked nice," she explained. "So do you."

"Th-thanks." Uraraka tried not to laugh when she felt him shaking like a leaf; at least she was better at hiding how nervous she was! "Hey, there's the restaurant."

While Midoriya had suggested the walk on the beach—a little cheesy, but it was sweet, and it was free, which appealed to both of them—Uraraka had been the one to find a place to eat. It wasn't quite a hole-in-the-wall kind of place, but it also wasn't somewhere that needed reservations, or a Yaoyorozu-level budget.

After finding a booth, the two started to look at the menu when things felt a little awkward. Both of them wanted to say something, but nothing felt right.

"Hey, Deku-kun?" Uraraka waited until she had his full attention before continuing. "Are we trying too hard?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, yeah, we're on a date, but we're still friends. We don't have to act differently just because we, uh—" Uraraka blushed.

"B-because we l-like each other?" Midoriya finished, and she nodded. "Yeah, I think you're right."

Like that, they relaxed, and started talking again. The only difference now was that they were willing to share things about themselves that they hadn't before. For instance, Midoriya was surprised to learn that Uraraka was taking it upon herself to learn physics, even though they wouldn't have classes on the subject until their third year at UA.

"Part of it is because of my Quirk," she admitted. "A lot of how I want to use my Quirk is learning how gravity applies to things, and then taking it out of the equation. I even sent a worksheet I completed to a physics professor in Tokyo; he was really confused why I deliberately chose the opposite of the answer, until I explained my Quirk." She giggled at the memory. "He said that he'd never met a _reverse_-physicist before, but I might be the first."

For his part, Midoriya let slip that he was actually pretty good at cooking, mostly out of necessity. It had started when he had gotten old enough to stay at home without supervision, and his mother could work again.

"No one wanted to babysit after they found out I was Quirkless." Midoriya shrugged the old memory away, but Uraraka allowed herself a moment of anger on his behalf. The nerve of those bigots!

"What about your dad?" she asked. "Wasn't he around to help?"

She wanted to slap herself for such an insensitive question. What if his father was dead, or had gotten a divorce? She didn't want to go into something so personal, especially on their first date!

"He's overseas most of the time," Midoriya explained, not bothered in the slightest. "He sets up meetings between companies, usually stuff that's too sensitive to be sent over email, and stays around to make sure that any deals hold firm. It's not that he doesn't want to be around, but he makes enough to keep our home and make sure we have enough money to live off of. Mom doesn't actually _have _to work, but she thought that if she made some money, Dad could come home more often."

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"I video-call him every few weeks. I think Mom talks to him a couple times a week, but it's only for a few minutes." Midoriya paused. "If you mean in person, then it's been a little over two years."

Uraraka couldn't imagine going without seeing her parents for years on end; just a couple of months had been heartbreaking!

The two continued to talk until their food arrived. They had both ordered okonomiyaki, a type of savory pancake that was a little heavy on the calories, but considering how much they exercised, it wasn't that big a deal.

After eating and paying for their meal—Uraraka insisted they split the bill when Midoriya offered to pay for all of it—they headed back to the dark alley. One transformation later, and Jetray was taking them to Dagobah Beach.

"Wow, the news didn't do it justice," Uraraka said as they landed on the sand. "This place is beautiful!"

Midoriya had to agree; the last time he had been here, there had been too much going on in his head to really appreciate just what Ken had done. The sand looked like silver dust in the moonlight, and the gentle waves were soothing to hear.

They stood there in silence, watching the ocean, until Midoriya tentatively reached for Uraraka's hand. Their fingers laced together, though she made sure not to touch him with all five fingers. Hand in hand, they slowly walked to where the waves met the sand.

"Yeah," Uraraka whispered, "this is nice."

…

She had to keep running. She'd had enough, and had to get away. She couldn't go back with the bad men again—not to the needles and the pain and the darkness. But he was following her; she didn't know his name, but he would find her, just like all the others who found her when she ran away. But she had to try.

And then she saw them.

There were two of them, walking in the sand—though she didn't know why people would do that. They were holding hands, and the girl was resting her head on the boy's shoulder.

She didn't know either of them, but they had to be better than the bad men. And so, she made a decision, and turned.

…

Midoriya wondered if there was any way he could freeze time. This moment was about as perfect as it could get; for a few blissful minutes, there was nothing but him, Uraraka, and the beach.

And then something collided with him, sending him tumbling into the sand.

"Deku-kun, are you okay!?" At least Uraraka had kept her footing, but Midoriya was now trying to figure out just what the heck had hit him.

'It' turned out to be a little girl. She couldn't have been more than five or six years old, with long pale grey hair, and a small horn on the right side of her forehead—though whether it was a minor Mutant-type Quirk, or just an element of something else, Midoriya didn't know. She wore a ragged dress, and was barefoot; what alarmed him were the bandages around her arms and legs.

That set off alarms in the mind of a would-be Hero. There was a little girl who was possibly hurt, clearly didn't have the best quality of life, and if her trembling was any indication, she was absolutely terrified.

"Hey, hey," he said gently, and helped the girl to her feet. "Are you okay?"

The girl opened her eyes, revealing red irises. "P-please… help me."

Uraraka knelt down so that she could look the girl in the eye. "Of course, sweetie. Why don't we get out of this sand, okay?"

The girl must not have expected that kind of reaction, because she looked bewildered. Uraraka gently guided her to the street, while Midoriya dusted himself off.

"Ben," he muttered softly, so that the girl wouldn't hear, "I need you."

Ben—who had remained 'off' until Midoriya called for him—didn't materialize, but he was immediately aware that something was wrong. "What's up?"

"The girl looks like she was in trouble. Can you call the police through my phone if we need to?"

"You got it, buddy, but we've got incoming. Keep your guard up."

Sure enough, a man was walking quickly down the street; when he saw them, he increased his speed to just under a jog. He was easily six feet tall, with shaggy hair that almost looked like a lion's mane; his clothes had once been very nice, but looked like they'd been worn a few too many times.

"Eri, there you are," the man chided in a gruff voice that tried to sound sweet, and failed miserably. "Come on, you know better than to wander off." He looked at the teenagers and smiled; it looked more like a sneer, and did nothing to ease their nerves. "Sorry about that, kids; Eri likes to run off sometimes, but she needs to go home now."

The girl, Eri, whimpered and hid behind Uraraka.

"Sorry, she seems a little freaked out right now," Midoriya said, thinking quickly. "She fell down, and she might have gotten sand under her bandages. Can we have a minute to clean her up?"

The man shifted in place uneasily. "Fine, hurry up; my boss wants her back pronto."

Midoriya decided to take a big risk and turned his back on the man as he knelt in front of Eri; he had to trust that Uraraka would watch out for him.

"Are you hurt?" he whispered as he pretended to inspect Eri's bandages.

"No." Somehow, Eri realized that she had to be quiet. "He's a bad man. He'll hurt you!"

"We'll try to avoid that," Midoriya said as he brushed some sand out of her hair, and then stood up to face the man. "Sorry, it looks like she hurt her leg. We should get her to a doctor."

"No need, my boss _is _a doctor." The man gave Eri a hard stare. "He'll fix you right up, won't he, Eri?"

Every passing second sent up more red flags. Eri was clearly terrified, and now this man was trying to keep her away from any sort of authority. Were they dealing with a kidnapper and his victim?

"Excuse me, sir?" Uraraka was the picture of naïve innocence as she spoke. "Are you this girl's father?"

The man sneered. "Do I look like her dad? Look, I'm being nice, but this is your last chance—give me the girl, and no one gets hurt."

The innocent look melted away, leaving only fierce determination. "Funny, I was going to give you the same warning."

With a growl, the man pulled a knife from inside his coat and lunged. Uraraka reacted with apparent ease—she grabbed his wrist, twisted it to make him drop the knife, and used his momentum to knock him down.

This was all they could legally do. Without licenses, they couldn't use their Quirks, unless their attacker did so first. Midoriya scooped up Eri and backpedaled several paces; one of them had to keep the girl safe, so he had to trust that Uraraka could handle it.

"The police have been called," Ben said, his voice tense. "They'll be here in five minutes."

"Bad move, little girl," the man spat as he stood back up. "I'm gonna beat you bloody for that!"

Even to Midoriya's less-experienced eye, the man was no trained fighter; his punches were wide and obvious, and his footing was terrible. Uraraka danced around each swing, striking at openings with her knees and the heel of her palm. Individually, the blows weren't too damaging, but they added up, and the thug was rapidly running out of steam.

"Oh, screw this!"

The man _roared_, his mouth opening far wider than it should have been able to; his teeth grew into large fangs, and tan fur sprouted over his skin. Now, he really did look like a lion.

"Any last words, before I rip you to pieces?" he asked, holding out his claw-tipped hands for emphasis.

To her credit, Uraraka only raised an eyebrow. "Yeah—bad kitty!"

Midoriya couldn't help but wince as Uraraka stepped in close and drove her knee between her attacker's legs. One of the man's paws went down to cover his groin, while the other flailed out towards her. Apparently, his transformation made him faster, because Uraraka couldn't avoid his claws as easily as before; one of them raked across her left arm, and she cried out in pain.

That was enough for Midoriya. A Quirk had been used—also, much more importantly, the son of a bitch had hurt Uraraka. This was going to end _now_.

Uraraka had barely registered the searing pain in her arm when she saw a flash of green light in the corner of her eye. The next thing she knew, a full-sized Humungousaur brought a huge fist down on the lion-man. There was a gasp, and possibly a crack of something breaking, and when the fist pulled back, the thug was back in his human form, unconscious and probably in need of a hospital.

There was another flash of green light, and then Midoriya was running up to her. "Are you okay!?"

Uraraka looked at her arm; the cut was long, but shallow. "I don't think it's too bad."

Midoriya nodded, and then hugged her fiercely. "Good. I was…"

Uraraka just hugged him back with her uninjured arm. "I'm okay. We're both okay." She looked back and saw Eri, staring at the unconscious man with wide, disbelieving eyes. "And I think she's okay, too."

Midoriya nodded again, and then pulled off his outer shirt to wrap around her arm. "That should hold until we can get you to a doctor."

"Thanks, Deku-kun." Uraraka looked at the makeshift bandage that was quickly becoming stained with red. "Sorry about your shirt."

"I'd rather lose the shirt than you," he replied, as the sound of approaching sirens was heard.

Uraraka would later blame her blush on adrenaline.

…

With a potential kidnapping victim and Uraraka's injury to consider, the police brought them to the hospital first. Eri refused to be parted from her rescuers, holding onto Midoriya's hand the entire time, save for when he had to go to the bathroom, or was speaking privately to the police. When he came back, he found her hanging onto Uraraka; it would have been sweet, had the poor girl not looked so terrified.

The police quickly identified their attacker as a low-level Yakuza thug, who was wanted for several Quirk-related assaults. Considering that, and how the students had only acted in self-defense, the police barely gave them a slap on the wrist, and only because they were required to do so by law.

"Your school will be informed," an officer said. "But we'll keep your names out of the media, just in case that punk's bosses want revenge."

"Thank you," Midoriya said. "What about Eri?"

"The girl?" The officer looked over at Eri, who had all but fainted from stress; she was asleep on a chair, and rested her head on Uraraka's lap. "Unfortunately, she doesn't match the description of any missing persons. We also ran her fingerprints, but she's not in any system; whoever had her didn't want anyone to know about her."

Midoriya felt pity stab into him. "Then what's going to happen to her?"

"I don't know," the officer admitted. "Putting her in the foster system might be a bad idea, especially if her captors want her back. Plus, she's pretty traumatized."

That was an understatement; when the doctors had tried to take a blood sample, Eri had taken one look at the needle, screamed, and tried to get away. Only the combined efforts of Midoriya and Uraraka had calmed her down, and even then, the latter had to let the doctors take blood from her first, before Eri let them do the same to her. She also refused to let anyone but Uraraka and Midoriya change her bandages; that was when they saw the deep scars going up her arms and legs. It was obvious that Eri had been emotionally and physically scarred by a barbaric perversion of medical practice.

Something about Eri's circumstances was oddly familiar to Midoriya, and he almost hit himself for not realizing it sooner.

"Um, can I make a call?" he asked. "I think I know someone who might be able to help."

The police officer shrugged. "You can ask them, but they'll have to contact us before any decision is made."

"I understand." Midoriya hastily excused himself and went out into the hallway before dialing a certain number on his phone.

It only rang once before it was picked up. _"Midoriya-san? This is an unexpected surprise. Is something the matter?"_

"Hello, Nezu-sensei," Midoriya said. "I need your help."

…

Uraraka tilted her head as Midoriya returned a few minutes later. "What was that about?"

"I called Nezu-sensei to see if UA could take protective custody over Eri," he explained. "It's the safest place I could think of."

"That could work." Uraraka looked down at the sleeping girl in her lap and gently stroked her hair. "What did Nezu-sensei say?"

"He said he'd talk to the police about it; we'll find out more later." Midoriya pulled up a chair so that he sat in front of her. "Are you okay?"

Uraraka looked down at her bandaged arm. "I'll be fine. If I go to Recovery Girl, I probably won't even have a scar."

Midoriya sighed and leaned forward to put his head in his hands. "Thank goodness."

"Thank Gunhead; he's the one who showed me how to fight." She reached out and tilted his head up to look at her. "This isn't what I was expecting for a first date."

He flinched. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be! We helped someone who needed us, Izuku!" She smiled. "Besides, the next one can only be better, right?"

"Yeah, I guess—wait." Midoriya blinked. "You w-want to go out on another date?"

Uraraka wondered how to articulate just what she wanted to say. Nothing she could think of seemed to work.

_Screw it, direct approach._

She pulled him in close and kissed him. This wasn't a peck on the cheek, but a real kiss that Uraraka hoped would convey just what she was feeling. At first, Midoriya froze; then to her surprise and delight, he leaned in and kissed her back. It was a little clumsy—neither of them had any experience with this sort of thing—but it felt right. They pulled back after several seconds, both grinning.

"So… are you my girlfriend?"

Uraraka gave her best teasing smirk. "Nah. You're _my _boyfriend."

Midoriya nodded. "I'm okay with that."

"Uh…" They looked down and saw Eri staring at them with wide eyes. "What are you doing with your faces?"

When a nurse came in to check on them, it was to the sight of the two teenagers blushing and sputtering.

**I know I've said that Midoriya is a cinnamon roll that has to be protected. Well, Eri is that, times a thousand. Anyone who lays a hand on her is going to die, plain and simple. Why did I bring her in so early? Because I can, and I have plans. So many plans…**

**By the way, that law I talked about, regarding how people can use their Quirks? You're telling me that I can't use my ability in public, even if I'm not hurting anyone, damaging property, or otherwise breaking laws? That's BS, and really can't be applied for people who can't turn off their Quirks, like Asui or Hound Dog. Anyway, that's why Uraraka and Midoriya didn't go all-out from the beginning, because they could only escalate when the bad guy did so. And I wanted to show how Uraraka is becoming a better fighter.**

**And the pairing is official, guys! I know it was kind of obvious for a while now, but it feels good to have it be official. Sorry if this chapter caused fluffy feelings. If it persists for longer than three hours, consult a doctor.**

**I may have to take a break from this story for a little while, though. I've been neglecting some of my other stories, and I want to get back into writing science fiction, if only to keep myself in the right mindset to write my next book. But don't worry, I won't abandon this story for long!**

**If you want to read my first book before the second one comes out, please check out **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. You can find as a PDF on my website (link in my profile), or in eBook and physical format on Amazon. I hope you enjoy!**

**If you want to support me in other ways, I have a P-atreon account! Any donations are sincerely welcome, as it goes into my savings, so I can one day live on my own and do nothing but write all day. You can find a link to my page on my profile!**

**And I'd like to thank the following patrons for sticking with me, even in these dark times:**

**Serious Muffins: jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, John Collins, Red Bard, Aaron Meek, Shaolin Khalil, killroy225**

**Incredible Muffins: RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844**

**Ultra Muffins: Adam Costello, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: The next step in Eri's journey begins, Midoriya and his friends train in earnest, and Inko gets a message.**

**Stay safe out there!**

**Plus Muffin!**


	22. Progress

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I TRIED TO GIVE MYSELF THE POWER OF ANIMALS YESTERDAY. IT DIDN'T WORK, AND NOW I SMELL LIKE FISH.**

**Who's ready for Eri being adorable?**

***counts raised hands***

**And who's ready for Midoriya and Uraraka being adorable?**

***counts more raised hands***

**Hang on… how did you all get in here?**

**Anyway, here's a new opening, and one that isn't from MHA!**

_(SPARK-AGAIN—Aimer, TV Version)_

_The music starts, and there is a brief flash of green, before the title appears. As the title fades, we see Midoriya looking up at UA with a determined expression on his face. The scene changes to a hallway in the school; Midoriya and the Rising Stars are walking down the hall, and they are chatting excitedly._

_The scene abruptly changes to Midoriya and Uraraka kneeling next to Eri, who is crying. She holds onto them, while shadowy arms reach out for her. Before they can touch her, fire erupts from Todoroki as he and the Rising Stars use their Quirks to drive back the shadows. Eri wipes her eyes, and when she opens them again, Midoriya and Uraraka are in their costumes, and are standing in front of her protectively._

_Fire engulfs the scene, and when it fades, the Rising Stars are with the rest of their class in a straight line. Across from them are the teachers, who ready themselves for battle. The focus shifts to Bakugo and Midoriya; the former brushes past the latter, but then pauses, grits his teeth, and turns around. Both boys take ready stances as All Might lands in front of them._

_Just as All Might throws a punch, the scene changes again. Now, Humungousaur is standing on top of a building in front of the other Rising Stars, blocking debris as it is hurled at them. Lemillion lands next to him, and the two nod; Lemillion charges first, and as Humungousaur follows, his hand goes to the Ultimatrix dial and twists it._

_The intro ends with Ben staring at his clenched hand sadly, and he flickers out of sight._

My Alien Academia

Chapter 22

Progress

To say that Izuku had had an interesting night would be a colossal understatement. He'd gone on his first date, rescued a little girl who might have been kidnapped, and fought one of those possibly responsible for said kidnapping. He had thought that waiting for Nezu to get back to him about Eri's fate would be the hardest thing to deal with.

Unfortunately, he had forgotten about his mother.

"Izuku, baby, are you okay!?" Inko somehow managed to hug him and shake him at the same time. She was also successfully inspecting him for injuries, despite her eyes being filled with tears.

"I'm f-fine, Mom," Izuku gasped out, and tried not to look embarrassed, because his girlfriend of two hours was looking _far _too amused.

Eri, who sat next to Uraraka, just looked confused. To her, it looked like Izuku was getting attacked, but no one was worried, and Izuku's attacker seemed to be concerned _for _him.

A police officer, who had been silently enjoying this in the corner, finally took pity on Izuku and gently pried his mother off to explain the situation. After about fifteen minutes, Inko returned and gave her son a much gentler hug.

"I am so proud of you," she said, and then wiped away more tears. "What you did was incredibly brave." She then turned to the other teenager in the room. "And you must be Uraraka-chan! Izuku has told me so much about you, but I wasn't expecting to meet you so soon, or under these circumstances."

Uraraka wasn't expecting to be the center of attention—especially by her boyfriend's mother—and quickly sketched a bow. "H-hello, Midoriya-san. It's nice to meet you."

Inko beamed. "So polite, and a sweetheart, from what Izuku's told me."

"Mom!"

"Sorry." Inko's tone and expression said that she was anything but sorry. "Anyway, I'm so glad that you're both all right." She saw Eri and smiled kindly. "And I'm very glad that you're okay too."

Eri, who was extremely confused, just nodded shyly. She looked close to being overwhelmed, and had made a habit of clinging onto her rescuers when they sat next to her. The clinging got worse when Nezu arrived in person a short while later to discuss the matter with the police. No one could blame her; Nezu was unusual, even in this day and age.

Less than an hour went by, and then Nezu returned with a kind smile on his face. "Hello, Eri-chan. My name is Nezu, and I am the Principal of UA High. It's a school that trains students to be Heroes; your two friends here are among the top of their class."

Eri blinked; she didn't really know what 'top of the class' meant, but from the way Inko beamed, it was obviously good. Uraraka and Izuku would have blushed at the praise, but they had been red-faced since she'd caught them kissing anyway.

"Now, I understand that you've had a hard time," Nezu went on. "But I've spoken to the police, and until we are absolutely sure that you can live a safe and happy life, we've decided to let you stay at my school."

"N-no!" Eri jolted back and tried to hide in her chair. "I can't be near people! I h-hurt them! I'm cursed!"

Izuku wondered what she meant by that, but then assumed it had something to do with her Quirk.

Nezu's smile turned sad, and he reached up to gently put a paw on her knee. "Is that what the bad men told you?"

Eri hadn't expected that reaction at all; neither had Uraraka or Inko. Only Izuku did, and that was because Nezu's story was unique enough to catch his attention. Animals with Quirks were extremely rare, and one that made said animal even more intelligent than a human was practically unheard of. Nezu had been captured by a radical group of Quirk-obsessed scientists and experimented on, until he'd been rescued by a group of Heroes. If anyone was going to bond with Eri over shared trauma, it would be him, and Izuku knew it.

"They did," Eri said softly. "H-how did you know?"

"Because bad men told me the same thing." He and Eri were both small enough to fit on the same chair, so that's what he did. "And do you know what I did? I proved them wrong. It was hard, and it took a long time, but now, I'm proud of what I can do. Someday, I'm sure you'll be the same."

"And we'll be there to help you," Izuku promised, and gently rested his hand on her head. "Right, Ochako?"

"Of course we will!" Uraraka smiled at the little girl. "Helping people is what Heroes do!"

"And it's what my school does," Nezu added. "Eri-chan, UA is the perfect place to teach you how to safely use your Quirk, and since Midoriya-san and Uraraka-san are there six days every week, you'll be able to see them very often!"

Izuku and Uraraka were starting to realize that they'd volunteered for something major. On top of their own studies and training, they now had to help a girl work past her trauma, her self-esteem issues, _and _teach her how to use her Quirk. And they didn't even know what her Quirk _was_!

Still, looking at the little girl who clung to them like a lifeline, how could they say no?

…

After some cajoling from Izuku and Uraraka, Eri was convinced to go with Nezu and a heavy police escort to UA to spend the night. She had only reluctantly agreed when they promised that they would see her the next morning, and as often as possible.

It was only after she was gone that they both realized how exhausted they were, and nearly collapsed in the hospital. A police officer was asked to drive Uraraka to her apartment, and another would escort the Midoriyas to their own home. There was only a short pause before they split up, where Izuku and Uraraka stood awkwardly.

"Um…" Uraraka rubbed the back of her head. "Goodnight, Deku-kun."

"Goodnight… Ochako-chan." Izuku tried very hard not to turn, because he just _knew _his mother was watching. Instead, he hugged his new girlfriend and kissed her on the cheek. "See you tomorrow?"

"After everything that's happened, you really have to ask?" Uraraka hugged him back. "If I don't keep an eye on you, you'll probably get abducted by a wizard or something."

"Don't jinx it," Izuku warned as he stepped back. He was about to rejoin his mother, when he felt soft lips press against his cheek. "W-what was that for?"

"That was because I've wanted to kiss you since the Sports Festival," Uraraka admitted. "Also, because you're really cute."

Izuku sputtered, but could only stand there as Uraraka skipped off to the waiting police cruiser. As she was driven away, he jumped when his mother patted him on the shoulder.

"She's a good one," Inko said with a teasing smile. "She reminds me of a few times when I'd just started dating your father, and I would—"

"Hey, Mom, I have to get to UA kind of early tomorrow morning, can we go home?" The last thing Izuku wanted to know was intimate details of his parents' love life.

Inko's smile never wavered, but her teasing did. "Of course, honey. Let's go home."

…

Chisaki Kai was furious; short of being captured by the authorities, this was the absolute worst thing to happen to him. His plan, his life's goal, hinged on Eri, and now she was gone—in the hands of the Heroes, where she would inevitably be infected by their _disease_. He had no idea where she was, and he couldn't assume that they would be stupid enough to put her somewhere she could be easily retaken.

He also had no idea if they knew what Eri could do. If they did, they'd spirit her away to the ends of the Earth, if it meant propagating their _disease_.

Chisaki looked down at his gloved hands, slowly clenching and unclenching them as he considered his next move. Unfortunately, there was only one option for the immediate future.

"Kurono."

Kurono Hari—known to most as Chronostasis—stepped out of the shadows. "Yes, Overhaul?"

"Increase the sale of Trigger; we need to build up capital faster. As soon as we get Eri back, we'll need to make up for lost time."

"Understood." Chronostasis paused. "Do we have any leads on her location?"

"Not yet," Chisaki growled. "And depending on where she is, we'll have to be careful on how to proceed. If we move too early, or hit them too hard, we could bring the police and the Heroes down on our heads before we're ready."

"I'll have some guys search where she went missing," Chronostasis promised.

"Good." The thought of Heroes and their _sickness _made Chisaki want to throw up. "Notify me if anything changes on either front. For now, I'm going to wash my hands."

…

When Midoriya and Uraraka arrived at UA the next morning, they were happy to see their friends—including the Big Three—but took them aside to let them know what had happened. They didn't want them to freak out around Eri, who was certainly still on edge.

"Let me get this straight," Ashido said, as serious as anyone had ever seen her. "You guys went out on your date, had a wonderful time… and somehow managed to end with a fight, a rescue, and a _hospital stay_!?" She glared at Uraraka's bandaged arm. "Midori, you're dragging your girlfriend into your messes now!"

Sero chuckled. "I hate to say it, dude, but you're cursed. You can't go anywhere without something happening."

Uraraka felt obliged to defend her new boyfriend. "Hey! Bad things only happened to just him once! Every other time, at least one of us was with him."

"She's right, ribbit," Asui agreed. "The curse has already spread to us all."

Hado laughed, while Amajiki leaned away from Midoriya, as if he really believed he was cursed. Togata, on the other hand, slung an arm around Midoriya's shoulders.

"Still, you two did good work," he said. "You saved someone, you did it inside the law, and no one got seriously hurt. Sir Nighteye once told me that that kind of day is the best outcome for a Hero."

Uraraka and Midoriya blushed under the praise, but the latter was just glad that the Big Three were interacting with him again. After telling them the truth about the Ultimatrix and Quirks shortly after his first friends, they had withdrawn from him for a while. Togata had later told him that they had wanted to discuss the matter amongst themselves, and then had to process everything they'd learned.

For his part, Togata had actually been fascinated with the idea of Quirks being given to people, though he didn't say why. Hado thought being part alien was awesome—the only downside was that she couldn't tell anyone, and couldn't believe that other people wouldn't think it was as cool. Amajiki, on the other hand, had been thoroughly shaken by what he'd learned; only a tight hug from Hado and encouraging words from Togata had prevented him from descending into a panic attack. He looked better now, but Midoriya didn't miss the way Hado kept glancing at him, as if she was gauging his state of mind.

"Anyway, about Eri," Midoriya said, trying to get them all on track. "Can you guys hang back a little while Ochako and I talk to her? I don't want her getting overwhelmed by a bunch of strangers."

Yaoyorozu nodded. "That's probably for the best. She can sit and watch us train if she doesn't want to talk, or maybe we can introduce ourselves one at a time."

"Either way, we should be really gentle with her," Uraraka said, then gave Ashido and Iida pointed looks. "Don't be hyper, and don't do that hand-choppy thing you do."

Ashido stuck her tongue out, but didn't actually disagree. "Fine, but can we go inside now? I want to see what this training Midori hyped up is all about!"

The students went inside and got changed into their gym uniforms. Waiting for them in the gym was Nezu, Eri, and to everyone's surprise, Aizawa.

Eri, now wearing an adorable red dress and pink blouse, broke away from Nezu and ran to her rescuers as soon as she saw them. "You came back!"

Midoriya crouched so that he could look her in the eye. "Of course we did! We promised, right?"

Eri nodded. "Right…" she looked up at the small crowd of strangers that were keeping their distance, but smiling. "Um…"

"These are our friends, Eri-chan," Uraraka said gently. "I promise, they're all super nice, but if you don't want to meet them today, that's fine."

Eri nodded again, and then hid behind Nezu as he joined them.

"Aizawa and I will keep an eye on her while you all train," Nezu said. "If we need any of you, we'll let you know."

"Thank you, Nezu-sensei." Midoriya glanced at his sleepy-eyed homeroom teacher. "Why _is _Aizawa-sensei here?"

Eri looked ashamed as Nezu explained. "Eri-chan had a bit of an 'episode' last night. Her Quirk activated. Her horn grew and began to glow; she insisted that no one touch her, and I became concerned that her Quirk would cause harm. Aizawa happened to be on campus last night, and erased her Quirk; he'll be here, in case it happens again."

"See, Eri-chan?" Midoriya smiled at the little girl. "UA is a great place, and the teachers are here to help, just like us!"

Eri wiped away her tears, but jumped when Aizawa gently put a hand on her head. "I'll take her off to the side. You all should get to your training."

"Thanks, Aizawa-sensei!" Midoriya and Uraraka rejoined their friends, all of whom waved at Eri as they left.

"You two are in so much trouble," Ashido hissed. "You didn't say she was _adorable_!"

"You didn't ask," Uraraka teased.

Ashido glared at her. "First round, you and me."

Uraraka grinned cockily. "Bring it on."

…

There wasn't much actual structure to the training. Togata advised that they all work on whatever they felt they were weakest in, or otherwise exercise their Quirks to strengthen them. After that, Togata had practically dragged Midoriya away for a spar—which mostly meant that Midoriya would be spending the next three hours failing to even hit the upperclassman.

Unless…

"I see that look, Freshman," Togata said with a grin. "You've got an idea on how to fight me."

"I think so." Midoriya cycled through his aliens—and it felt so good to actually call them aliens, at least when he was with his friends—until he found what he wanted. "I want to try it, anyway."

"Hey, that's why you're here, right?" Togata stretched for a minute, and then took a ready stance. "Bring it on!"

Midoriya pressed the dial; when the green light faded, Shocksquatch crossed his arms. "Come and get me, eh?"

"I've gotta ask, how come your accent changes?" Togata looked a little confused. "I mean, I get that your voice would change, but why the accents? Shouldn't you still have a Japanese accent?"

Shocksquatch opened his mouth, then closed it again. "Huh. I don't actually know, eh? Maybe transforming rewrites my brain."

Togata shrugged. "It's as good an explanation as any. So, you ready to go?"

"Oh, yeah!" Shocksquatch cracked his knuckles, and electricity sparked along his fur.

Golden energy surged around Togata's body; Shocksquatch wasn't sure, but he thought he felt a small tremor in the ground.

Togata shot forwards, as expected, but rather than try to dodge, Shocksquatch waited. He would need to time this right, or he wouldn't get another chance. Togata was too skilled to get tricked more than once. Just before Togata's fist connected, Shocksquatch expanded an aura of electricity to just above his skin; the punch still hurt, and he was almost knocked clear out of the ring, but Togata fell to one knee. His aura faded, and his muscles locked up from the electricity; he didn't look hurt, but he was definitely surprised.

Shocksquatch didn't have much time; the paralysis wouldn't last very long. He got up as quickly as his winded body allowed, and threw a haymaker. To his surprise and pride, he finally landed a solid blow on his opponent that sent him cartwheeling back. Togata landed with a solid thud, but as he got to his feet, he saw Shocksquatch pointing at something behind him. Togata looked, and saw that one foot was just outside the boundaries.

It was only a technicality, but Togata had lost.

Midoriya transformed back to normal. His chest hurt, but he didn't care; not only had he managed to _hit _Togata, he had won the fight!

"Not bad, Freshman!" Togata didn't look disappointed; if anything, he was proud. "I was so surprised that I lost track of my surroundings. It's been a long time since I've taken a hit like that!"

"Th-thanks?" Midoriya shook his head. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine!" Togata grinned. "No offense, but you didn't actually hit me that hard. Why don't you heal up, and we can go again."

Midoriya nodded. "Sure!"

…

In the observation room, Eri looked on in concern. "Why are they fighting?"

Nezu chuckled. "They aren't actually fighting, Eri-chan. This is training—they're helping each other become stronger."

Eri nodded, but she didn't seem to understand. "Why are they doing that?"

"Because it will make them better Heroes, and that means that they can help more people like you, and stop bad people."

Eri seemed to accept this, but she still flinched when Midoriya—Shocksquatch once again—was sent flying from Togata's kick.

"Don't worry," Aizawa said. "We'll make sure no one gets hurt."

His words were said dryly, but the simple logic was enough to get Eri to calm down. Still, Nezu noticed that her attention was mainly focused on two students in particular. He wasn't surprised; Midoriya and Uraraka had saved her, and were likely the first people she could remember to show her any real kindness. He just hoped that the two were prepared for the kind of responsibility they'd taken on.

…

"Aren't you going to spar, Momo?"

Yaoyorozu smiled at her older friend. "No, not today, Nejire. I'm working on improving the speed of my Quirk; creating more complicated objects can take too long, especially in a situation where time is of the essence."

Hado hovered over the other girl and smiled. "So, what are you making?"

Yaoyorozu sat down and opened up her gym shirt. "I'm thinking something with circuitry. If I can make something as advanced as a functioning computer, I'll try to cut down how long it takes to make it."

"Cool!" Hado flipped around. "I'm gonna go practice with Tsu; it's gonna be such a fun game of tag!"

…

Sero ducked under a punch. "Hey, Tenya?"

Iida backed up, then jabbed out again; he was trying to spar with his arms, only using his kicks for an attack he was sure would connect. "What is it?"

"Am I…" Sero paused, and his hesitation nearly got him punched square in the face. "Am I not good enough a fighter?"

Now it was Iida's turn to pause. "How do you mean?"

"I mean, Izuku's got his transformations, Shoto is a walking disaster, anyone Momo can't beat up, she can make something to beat them up with, and you can kick through solid stone. I just shoot tape."

Iida would have asked why Sero didn't include Asui, Uraraka or Ashido in his little rant, but the four he _did _mention were widely regarded as some of the best students in their class. In Iida's opinion, Sero was setting the bar a little too high.

"I do not think that it is a matter of you being good enough," Iida said carefully, painfully aware that this sort of thing was not his forte. "Perhaps you should stop comparing yourself to those of us who specialize in combat. I mean no offense, but raw power is not your strong suit. If you want to be better at fighting, maybe you should work on your agility. I know from experience that it is better to avoid being hit in the first place—and maybe you could ask the Support Department about equipment to increase your damage output."

Sero held up a hand to pause the spar. "Like, reinforced boots or something? I could do some damage if I built up momentum by swinging on my tape and kicking."

"Exactly!" Iida was proud that he was able to help his friend, but knew when to quit when he was ahead. "You should probably speak to Izuku about this, as this sort of thing is his specialty."

"Right." Sero grinned and rubbed the back of his head. "I bet he's got a whole notebook on how to help me improve."

Iida nodded. "As a matter of fact, it might be a good idea for all of us to ask for his input." He glanced at their green-haired friend, who was currently getting thrashed by Togata. "Er… after he recovers."

…

Todoroki frowned as he tried to land a hit on Amajiki; the older boy was fast, and had amazing versatility with his Quirk. It was almost like fighting Midoriya, only without the long-ranged attacks. He could still reach far with those tentacles, but there was a limit. On the other hand, he was fast enough to dodge Todoroki's ice, and whenever he got close, he just turned his hands into clamshells that smashed through it, assisted by octopus-muscle in his arms.

He wouldn't admit it, but thinking about all the seafood Amajiki had eaten was starting to make him hungry. After training, he was going to get a nice lunch.

Food made him think about cooking, and cooking made him think about fire. Were he anyone else, he would have slapped himself; he was still falling into the mindset of only using his ice. He'd made progress, but old habits were hard to break.

Amajiki barely had time to turn his arms into wings and fly away to avoid a torrent of fire. "Hey, watch it!"

"Sorry, I just thought I'd take this seriously."

Amajiki landed, and his arms turned into tentacles again. "Yeah, but with fire, you have to be careful about your surroundings. You should know that better than most, being Endeavor's son and all."

As much as he hated his father, Todoroki couldn't help but be reminded of something Endeavor had said during a recent training.

"_Fire is wild and dangerous," _he had warned. _"Once it leaves your body, it is difficult to control, and after it begins to feed, that tenuous grip is gone. You must be aware of everything around you, or you risk injuring or even killing someone by accident. It is why I rarely fight even close to my full power, especially not in an urban area; if you must fight at your maximum, be sure it is outside of a populated area, or wait until confirmation that civilians have been evacuated."_

With a thought, Todoroki's fire shrank to a few small jets around his forearm. "You're right. Maybe I should use my fire defensively? I could create small bursts of flame whenever someone gets close."

"Not a bad idea. There aren't too many Villains who'd charge through fire, and that hesitation could leave them open to you freezing them."

Todoroki appreciated the advice, though he wished Amajiki could say so without hiding in the corner.

…

Ashido and Uraraka were at a stalemate. It was obvious that the latter's fighting abilities had improved, but the former was keeping out of reach, though she didn't want to use her acid on her friend. Instead, she skated around Uraraka, looking for an opening.

"So, Ochako," Ashido said playfully. "Other than saving Eri, how'd your date go?"

"It was good." Uraraka replied almost absently; she was focused on the fight. "We had dinner, then a nice walk on the beach. And then we beat up that creep who tried to take Eri."

"Come on, you have to give me more than that!" Ashido pouted, then gracefully flipped out of the way when Uraraka got a little too close. "Did he confess his undying love for you? Did _you _confess your undying love for _him_? At least tell me you kissed!"

"We did," Uraraka admitted. "A couple of times."

"Ooh, how was it? Was there tongue, or just—whoa!"

In her excitement, Ashido had gotten a little distracted. That had been enough of an opening for Uraraka to get in close and hit her square in the gut with an open palm. Ashido felt the air rush from her lungs; she doubled over, but instead of falling on her face, she simply floated in midair.

Uraraka then grabbed her by the arm. "All I have to do is push you up, and you float to the ceiling."

Ashido guessed that that would be a forty-foot drop, at least. Of course, she knew that Uraraka would make sure she came back down safely, but the message was clear.

"Yeah, okay, I give."

Uraraka sighed, and then pressed her fingertips together. "Release!"

Ashido landed gracefully. "Damn, girl, Gunhead really taught you some stuff, huh?"

Now that the rush of fighting was gone, Uraraka just rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "I guess I kinda threw myself into training."

"Did you also throw yourself at Midori?" Ashido grinned when Uraraka sputtered. "Come on, don't tell you didn't pretend to trip and let him catch you, that's a classic!"

"Do you want me to send you into space? Because I will send you into space."

"Only if you manage to hit me again." Ashido's grin took on a more challenging look. "Ready for round two?"

…

After three hours of work, the students asked if they could stick around a little longer, so that Eri could spend more time with them. Nezu readily agreed, and set them up in an empty classroom. Aizawa joined them, but rather than actually interact, he just crawled into his sleeping bag and closed his eyes.

The students, now in their school uniforms, formed a loose semicircle around Eri. For her part, the little girl was a little less wary; after all, Uraraka and Midoriya were happy when they were around, which, to her, meant that they probably weren't bad.

"So, Eri-chan, what do you think of UA so far?" Hado's words were much softer than usual, but her smile never wavered.

Eri shyly hid behind Midoriya. "It's… big. And bright."

The first part of the comment made sense—nearly all of them had been impressed by UA's entrance on their first day on campus—but the second part confused them. Before any of them could ask, Eri kept speaking.

"The place with the b-bad people was dark. It was so dark, and I—"

Eri choked and stumbled back; her horn started to glow and grew several inches. Her eyes went wide in fear, especially when Midoriya reached for her.

"N-no! Get away!"

Just as the light started to get brighter, it abruptly vanished, and her horn shrank. Midoriya turned and saw Aizawa looking at her, his own Quirk erasing hers.

"Her Quirk seems to trigger when she's stressed," Aizawa said, once he was sure that Eri was in control again. "Try to keep things positive for her, until she's able to handle what happened, or at least until she can control her Quirk."

"Yes, Aizawa-sensei." Midoriya knelt in front of Eri and smiled. "Sorry about that. Are you feeling better?"

Eri rubbed her horn with one hand, and her teary eyes with the other. "I th-think so."

"Hey, Eri-chan?" Hado waved excitedly, but kept an uncharacteristic distance. "Hi, I'm Hado Nejire, but you can just call me Nejire."

Eri hid behind Midoriya, but tentatively waved back; she then jumped when most of the girls cooed over how cute she was.

"Guys, what did we say?" Uraraka hissed, even though she was just as guilty over the cooing.

"Sorry, sorry!" Hado kept her gaze fixed on Eri. "Anyway, Eri-chan, I just wanted to know if you wanted to hear some funny stories. Funny stories are a great way to make new friends!"

The other students had a sneaking suspicion that Hado really meant _embarrassing _stories, but if it made Eri more comfortable around them, they'd grin and bear it, especially when Eri nodded.

"Ooh, I've got one," Uraraka said. "I can tell you about the first time I accidentally made my dad float, and he pretended to swim through the air."

Togata laughed. "I remember one time when I used my Quirk and accidentally launched myself out of my house. It wouldn't have been so bad if I'd had clothes, or if there weren't fifty people walking down the street."

And so time passed, with each of them sharing an embarrassing story of how they accidentally used their Quirks, from Iida using his boosters while on a freshly-mopped floor, to Ashido melting a hole in her room that resulted in her falling from the second story to the first, right onto her couch.

Eri never smiled during the stories, but she did start to relax. Eventually, she was confident enough to sit in Midoriya's lap instead of hiding behind him, though she did hold onto Uraraka's hand the entire time. Uraraka didn't mind, since she took the opportunity to lean against her boyfriend; none of them noticed Ashido take a quick picture with her phone, and saved it under 'cute things that will make me die'.

Finally, it got late enough that the students had to go home. Most of them left, save for Midoriya and Uraraka, who had to tell Eri that, yes, they would have to leave, but they would be back on Monday. Midoriya promised that if she needed to talk to him before then, Nezu had his phone number, which seemed to satisfy the little girl.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Uraraka asked as they walked to the train station.

"I hope so." Midoriya looked down at the ground. "She's been through things I don't even want to think about, and she's definitely still scared."

"Well, of course she's scared! She was being held prisoner until yesterday!" Uraraka fumed. "I hope the Heroes and the police catch whoever hurt her soon. If I ever meet him, I'm gonna make him float into the sun!"

"Only if I don't squish him as Way Big," Midoriya growled, but then shook off his anger. "Let's try not to think about that right now."

"Yeah, you're right." Uraraka leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "There. Now I feel better."

"W-why do you k-keep doing that?"

Uraraka smiled teasingly. "What, I'm not allowed to kiss my boyfriend?"

"At least give me a warning or something!"

"Or me," Ben added from inside the Ultimatrix. "Seriously, let me know if you're gonna smack lips! I feel like a voyeur."

"Oops!" Uraraka giggled. "Sorry, Ben."

"Apology acc-acc-accepted."

The couple froze. "Ben, what was that?" Midoriya demanded.

There was brief pause before Ben answered. "Sorry, minor audio fault. I need to defrag more often."

Uraraka frowned; it sounded plausible, but something made her suspect it was untrue. Still, she had no proof. "If you're sure…"

"I am." Ben's tone changed to something more upbeat. "By the way, Izuku, with everything that happened last night, I never got a chance to give you something for what you did for Eri." His hologram appeared, but only for Midoriya. "Check it out—a new alien!"

Midoriya held up the watch and activated it; sure enough, there was an image of a large beetle-like creature with a horn. "What's this one?"

"He's called Eatle," Ben explained. "Pretty strong, pretty tough, and he can eat through almost anything. Oh, and he can use what he eats to fuel an energy-beam from his horn."

"That's so cool!" Midoriya's mind raced, and he quickly got out his ever-present notebook. "He's obviously good in a fight, but I could use that power to clear away rubble that's close, and then shoot away anything that might collapse on bystanders!"

Uraraka giggled as her boyfriend rambled. She put aside thoughts of evil criminals and lying holograms for now, and just enjoyed the moment.

…

The following week, Class 1-A threw itself into training even more than before. If the students weren't working on their Quirks, they were studying; Ashido in particular looked frazzled by the tutoring Yaoyorozu put her through, but she pressed on. Out of all the Rising Stars, she was the most excited for the summer training camp, and she wasn't about to miss out on it! It wasn't just the Rising Stars who studied together; several other students asked Yaoyorozu for tutoring, and she was more than happy to help.

A minor thing that changed for the students—not unexpected, but it was a small and temporary hiccup in their daily routines—was that their uniforms changed. As June rolled into July, heavy jackets were discarded and long-sleeved shirts were replaced with short-sleeved versions. For the most part, nothing changed, though there was brief disturbance when Mineta made a scene about the girls not wearing such modest jackets. Asui quickly smacked him for his ogling.

One thing that bothered Midoriya was the upcoming practical exam. There was no hint about what it entailed, and it was starting to drive him crazy; he liked to be prepared for things, but there was nothing to prepare _for_!

He had just said as much to his friends during lunch on Friday, when he heard footsteps behind him.

"Oh, is the mighty Class A worried over the exams?" Midoriya turned to see a boy with blonde hair and eyes that gleamed with malice sneering down at him. "And you all like to hold yourselves over the rest of us, when you're clearly just a bucket of nerves. How sad! It just goes to show how inferior you all are to—urk!"

A swift chop to the back of his head sent Monoma Neito of Class 1-B collapsing in a heap. Kendo then lifted him up by his collar.

"Sorry about that," she said. "I've been trying to keep him out of your hair for a while, but he gave me the slip."

From the exasperated looks of other 1-B students across the cafeteria, Midoriya assumed that this behavior was something they had to deal with on a regular basis. If Kendo was trying to change Monoma's attitude with physical discipline, it wasn't working.

"It's f-fine, Kendo-san," he said. "Thanks, though."

Kendo shrugged. "No problem. Hey, _are _you guys worried about the practical?"

Yaoyorozu nodded. "Yes, it's difficult to prepare for something when it could literally be anything."

"I hear you." Kendo sighed, but then perked up. "Hey, I did hear something about it from a friend a year ahead of me. They said the practical exams usually have us fighting big robots, like the ones from the entrance exam."

Ashido grinned. "Really? Oh, that's awesome! It was kinda fun fighting those things before, and we're a lot stronger now!"

"That makes sense," Midoriya mumbled. "They'd want us to show how much we've grown, so going all-out against robots would help them gauge how well we've improved…"

Kendo raised an eyebrow. "Is he always like this?"

"Pretty much," Sero admitted. "At least he's not going on about Quirks—he could do that for hours."

"Well, have fun with that." Kendo turned and headed back to her table, still dragging Monoma across the floor. "Good luck with the exams!"

"Robots, huh?" Asui tapped her chin. "That might be hard for someone without a combat-focused Quirk, ribbit."

"Obviously, our teachers would want us to push our Quirks and our minds to their limits, without worrying about hurting someone!" Iida chopped at the air decisively. "Such a comprehensive test, as expected of UA!"

Uraraka nodded, but then she glanced at the time. "Hey, Deku-kun, do you want to say hi to Eri before lunch is over?"

Midoriya put aside his empty tray and stood up. "Yeah, we haven't seen her since this morning."

The two hurried off, and Ashido groaned. "It's not fair! They get to spend time with that little angel, and we can't!"

"She doesn't trust us yet," Todoroki pointed out. "But at least she doesn't hide from us as much."

"Yeah, but she's so _cute_! And she has a horn! _I _have horns! We're destined to be horn-buddies, and I am being kept from my destiny!"

Yaoyorozu giggled at her friend's antics; it was like watching a little kid being kept from a new toy. She didn't blame her, though, since Eri was the sweetest thing, but she was obviously still traumatized. Eri was only letting Midoriya and Uraraka in right now, but the hope was that she would get better. All they could do was take things slow.

…

Two weeks later, Midoriya flopped onto his bed and didn't move. Tomorrow was the day of the written exams, and the practicals were three days after that. He and his friends had buckled down on their studies, to the point where even Yaoyorozu was mentally exhausted. It didn't help that the only thing they knew about the practicals was that it involved robots. For all they knew, the test was about _not _fighting them, or fighting them a certain way, or—

"Buddy, calm down," Ben said. "I can practically see your blood pressure going up."

"Sorry," Midoriya said, his voice muffled by the pillow covering his face. "I'm just nervous."

"Dude, you've fought Villains, a serial killer, and traveled to another universe. You can handle whatever gets thrown your way."

"Thanks."

"It's why I'm here; pointing out the obvious is a primary subroutine."

Midoriya shifted just enough to give the hologram a side-eye. "I don't believe you."

"It's true! The real Ben was worried that the next user might be as boneheaded as he was, so he had that subroutine added." Ben tilted his head. "You just got a message on your phone."

Midoriya pulled out his phone; sure enough, Uraraka had just sent him a message.

Comet: Good luck, Deku-kun! xoxo

All Might: Can I get those in real life tomorrow? I think I'm gonna need it.

Comet: Not as much as I will.

All Might: You'll be fine, Ochako.

Comet: How do you know?

All Might: Because I'm dating the most amazing girl in the world, and she wouldn't fail.

There was a long pause, and Midoriya wondered if he'd done something wrong.

Comet: I am going to kiss you so much tomorrow. Night!

_I think I'm starting to get the hang of having a girlfriend, _Midoriya thought, as he went to sleep.

…

The next day, Midoriya met his friends outside of class; all of them were nervous, though Todoroki and Asui hid it best, while Ashido was close to having a meltdown. Yaoyorozu was quick to reassure her that she had definitely improved enough to pass the written test. Surprisingly, Todoroki also offered quiet support, even awkwardly patting her on the shoulder, which triggered a fit of giggles from everyone else.

Tension lifted, at least a little, they entered the class.

"Everyone sit down," Aizawa said sternly. "Get your pencils out, and pray that you studied enough. The next three days are going to be hell."

…

"That. Was the worst thing. _Ever_." Ashido staggered out of the classroom after the third day, and collapsed against Todoroki. "I'd rather fight Villains any day."

Even the most stoic of the Rising Stars looked exhausted; most of the day had been focused on the test, and it had indeed pushed them to their limits. Midoriya felt pretty confident about most of his answers, especially the section on Heroics, but there was a nagging feeling the back of his head that had him worried. Maybe he'd missed more than he thought, or accidentally mistook one question for another and wrote the answer in the wrong spot, or—

"Stop that, Deku-kun," Uraraka said tiredly as she leaned against him. "You're doing that thing where you think you did badly."

All of her friends stopped and stared at her. "How can you tell?" Sero asked.

"His eyes go back and forth like he's reading something, and he bites his lip," Uraraka said, as if it was obvious. "He does that after every test, even when he gets an A."

"It's a little scary that you know that, ribbit," Asui said.

Uraraka shrugged. "I pay attention to my boyfriend."

"Let's just say that it's a good way to sharpen her powers of observation," Yaoyorozu said nervously. "Anyway, we should all head home; tomorrow is going to be a big day as well."

"Can we visit Eri before we go?" Ashido pleaded. "She's just so cute, and I need my daily dose of adorable."

Uraraka frowned. "She's a girl, not a puppy."

"I know that! She's cuter than a puppy."

Honestly, Midoriya and Uraraka didn't need much prompting to visit Eri, so they all journeyed to the office where she stayed for most of the school day. Aizawa didn't always watch her, especially since everyone took care not to trigger another episode, and the teachers took turns. Today, however, she was being watched by someone most of the Rising Stars didn't know; he was a tall, skinny man, with messy blonde hair and a yellow suit that looked several sizes too large for him.

Only Midoriya nearly panicked. _What is All Might doing here!? And in his true form! Does Eri know? If she does, she might tell everyone else!_

Midoriya had promised not to hide secrets from his friends, but this was different; All Might's condition wasn't his secret to share, and everyone knew not to go around talking about a Hero's personal life.

All Might looked up from a book with a start and a spurt of blood. "Oh! Sorry, students, I wasn't aware you were coming."

Eri's eyes went wide. "Izu! Chako!"

As the little girl ran up to them, Midoriya and Uraraka couldn't help but grin. Eri had some problems saying their full names, so she'd settled on nicknames.

"Hi, Eri-chan," Uraraka said. "Did you have a good day?"

Eri nodded. She still didn't smile, but over the last few weeks, she had started to come out of her shell. "Uh-huh. I was drawing. Mr. Yagi helped!"

Yaoyorozu's eyes narrowed slightly; she thought she knew all the faculty at UA, so in her mind, a stranger had been watching Eri. "I'm sorry, Yagi-san, I don't believe we've met?"

"I was asked to fill in for All Might to watch the girl." All Might's lie was so casual that even Midoriya thought it sounded real. "I work for his Agency, you see, and sometimes the big guy needs an extra pair of hands on the home front when he goes out to save the day." He bowed. "Sorry, I didn't introduce myself—I'm Yagi Toshinori."

The students not in the know accepted that easily enough; after all, UA's security was some of the best in the world, and an infiltrator would have used a lie far less blatant than claiming to work for All Might.

"Well, thank you for watching Eri, Yagi-san," Todoroki said. "Sorry for any inconvenience."

"Not at all; in fact, with my health, this sort of thing is almost a vacation." All Might smiled down at Eri. "She's very well-behaved."

Eri nodded at him shyly, then turned back to her protectors. "Did you have a good day?"

"Aw, thank you for asking!" Uraraka gently hugged her. "We had a long test today, so we're all tired, but I think we did well."

Ashido, sitting across the room, caught Eri's attention; she winked, and then pretended to fall asleep. Midoriya decided to see if Eri had indeed gotten better around his friends.

"Hey, Eri," he said, "Mina over there worked really hard. Do you think you could give her a hug? It would make her feel better."

Eri looked between Ashido and Midoriya, who nodded encouragingly. She hesitated, then slowly walked over to the pink girl; everyone held their breath as Eri tentatively wrapped her arms around Ashido's legs. Ashido bit her lip to keep from squealing, and sat up to hug her back.

"This is the best day of my life," she said through the biggest grin any of them had ever seen. "Thanks for that, horn-buddy!"

Eri tilted her head; her hand went to her horn, and then reached out for one of Ashido's. There was a muted click, and then Uraraka put away her phone. Midoriya couldn't stop the tears leaking from his eyes.

Progress had been made.

**Okay, that's enough for this chapter! If I go any further, I'm just going to keep going for another ten thousand words. This is manageable.**

**So, yeah, lots of stuff with Eri, plus a little time-skippage. Because I'm not going to write out every freaking day leading up to the tests. Speaking of which, all of us have done that thing where we mentally review the tests after we turn it in and suddenly think we screwed up every answer. Except in my case, I actually did, until I reached college, and then I did well. Yay.**

**Ashido seems like the type to want to smother Eri in love, so I thought I'd have Eri open up to her before the other Rising Stars. Also, they are horn-buddies forever now.**

**Remember how I randomized the teams and who fought who in previous chapters? Well, we're doing it again, folks! I randomized most of the students together, along with which teacher they'll fight. Except for Bakugo and Midoriya against All Might, because that just needs to happen, both for Bakugo's development as a person (because it's either that, or I make him permanently awful), and because it'll be cool.**

**Anyway, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. You can find it on my site (link in my profile), or on Amazon as an eBook or physical copy. The more sales I get, the more drive I have to finish the sequel!**

**If you want to support me in other ways, you can donate on P-atreon (link in my profile). I still hold out hope that one day I can live off those donations. I also hold out hope for a hero in the morning light, but that's neither here nor there.**

**Anyway, I'd like to thank the people who have become my heroes:**

**Serious Muffins: jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, John Collins, Red Bard, Aaron Meek, Shaolin Khalil, killroy225**

**Incredible Muffins: RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844**

**Ultra Muffins: Adam Costello, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**I also want to give a shout-out to one Amit Barabi, who has posted YouTube videos on this story, and that is so freaking cool! He's reviewed chapters, and is making theories on what may happen next. I won't confirm or deny any of them, but maybe you could show his videos a little love and weigh in on your own thoughts of what might happen?**

**Next Chapter: It's students versus teachers! Who will win? Who will fail?**

**Stay safe out there!**

**Plus Muffin!**


	23. Exam

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I THINK I NEED TO STOP DRINKING, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I APPARENTLY STOPPED TWO MUGGINGS AND A ROBBERY DURING A BLACKOUT, I DID SO WHILE DRUNKENLY SINGING AN UNHOLY MIX OF THE BATMAN AND SPIDER-MAN THEME SONGS. I HAVE TO HAVE SOME STANDARDS, GUYS.**

**You know what's scarier than challenging your teacher in anything? Challenging a teacher who literally puts people in the hospital for money. UA **_**has **_**to have, like, a billion waivers to sign, or else they'd get sued to the eighth level of hell.**

**And I'm subjecting the characters I love most to that kind of pain. Am I a bad person? Probably.**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 23

Exam

"Are you ready?" Uraraka asked nervously.

Midoriya nodded, though it was hard to see through his trembling. "Y-yeah."

The two of them were alone, so Uraraka gave him a quick kiss on the lips; it wasn't just for Midoriya's benefit, since she pulled away with a big smile.

"Good. So am I," she said, and then put on her new helmet.

Shortly after preparing for the exams, Uraraka had submitted a few changes to her costume. Thankfully, they weren't overly complicated, and were ready in time. The biggest change was her helmet; rather than expose the top of her head and her chin, it completely covered her head, and her visor didn't extend as far. It ended up looking like an angular full-face motorcycle helmet, with a thick antenna-like protrusion on each side. She had also added lightweight pink carbon-fiber armor to her shoulders and chest; as a close-combat specialist with a growing talent in mobility, she wanted a balance between protection and flexibility. Her wristguards were slimmer and longer, reaching to just below her elbows; they were almost like vambraces, rather than large wristbands. Her boots were also slimmer and segmented at the ankles and knees, allowing her better flexibility.

She had mentioned that there was another element she wanted for her costume, but Power Loader wouldn't sign off on it until she had a better handle on her Quirk. When her friends had asked what it was going to be, she'd just smiled and said that she'd been inspired by Midoriya and Yaoyorozu.

Even if the costume was technically incomplete, Midoriya thought it looked cool, and had said as much when he first saw it. That had earned him a quick kiss from his girlfriend, and some good-natured ribbing from everyone else.

Uraraka wasn't the only one to get an upgrade. Sero now sported iron-soled boots, and gloves with reinforced knuckles; he had run the idea by Midoriya, who agreed that he could only take a little extra weight before it impeded his mobility, which was his strength.

"That was fast," Ashido teased as the couple rejoined them. "Not enough time for a full make-out session. Looks like I won the bet, Sero."

"Should have known they'd be responsible and stuff before a test," Sero joked. "Look, they're not even blushing!"

That wasn't true; Midoriya had just pulled his hood low, and Uraraka had her helmet on. Thankfully, Yaoyorozu took pity on them, and directed their attention elsewhere.

"Come on, everyone," she said, trying to convey the authority a Class President was supposed to have. "We need to meet up with the rest of the class."

The other students in Class 1-A didn't really notice how the eight friends arrived together; it had become common to see them so close. The wall of teachers opposite them, however, shared knowing looks; the Rising Stars' close friendship had been a factor in the upcoming test.

"So, I assume you all think you know what the test is about?" Aizawa asked.

Kaminari grinned. "We're fighting those robots, right? Just give us that win!"

"Yeah!" Ashido cheered. "Campfires and s'mores, here we come!"

"Actually, we decided to change things up this year." Nezu surprised them all when he popped out of Aizawa's capture tool. "True, using the robots from the entrance exam is a traditional way to gauge how well you've improved since then, but as has been pointed out, pure power is not everyone's forte. As such, we've decided that your opponents—"

"Will be us!" All Might shouted as he fell from the sky and landed in front of the students. He then glanced back at Nezu. "Did I get the timing right on that one?"

"Yes, you didn't actually cut me off mid-word this time." Nezu smiled at him, and then turned back to the students. "You will all be divided into pairs, each of which will be facing off against one of us. Your goal is simple—either defeat and capture us, or escape through a special gate on the opposite side of your testing ground."

That caused a murmur throughout the class; fighting robots had sounded exciting and fun, but going up against Pro Heroes was impossible for students not even halfway through their first year!

Before the doubts crept too far, All Might held up one hand. "Now, you might automatically be thinking that your only choice is to run away, yes? Well, don't worry, we've got something to even the playing field." He lifted up a metal ring and slipped it onto his wrist. "These ultra-compressed weights will make it hard for us to move and tire us out! Oh, and we held a contest to see which Support Course student could make the most efficient design, and young Hatsume won!"

Midoriya smiled at that last part; he didn't see Hatsume that often, but it _was _because of her that his team had done so well in the second round of the Sports Festival, and he considered her more than an acquaintance. Besides, if she was the reason any of them had a chance at passing this test, he was definitely going to thank her the next time he saw her.

Of the other students, only Bakugo failed to show relief. "What, you think we need a handicap?"

All Might, who had just put seven more weights on—two on each wrist, and two on each ankle—smiled dangerously. "Maybe we do."

"Yeah, kids!" Present Mic grinned. "You might have some moves, but you're going up against Heroes who have seen it all! Don't expect this to be easy!"

"Handicap or no, each of us will be giving it our all today," Aizawa said. "Also, we've already organized the teams, and who you'll be fighting. Here's the list, in order of first to last; each team will go one at a time, and we'll only start the next test after the previous one is finished."

Aizawa read out the teams; as he did so, Midoriya's sense of dread grew.

_Kirishima/Mineta VS Cementoss_

_Iida/Sato VS Power Loader_

_Kaminari/Jiro VS Present Mic_

_Ashido/Yaoyorozu VS Nezu_

_Hagakure/Ojiro VS Snipe_

_Todoroki/Asui VS Thirteen_

_Uraraka/Shoji VS Eraserhead_

_Koda/Aoyama VS Midnight_

_Sero/Tokoyami VS Ectoplasm_

_Midoriya/Bakugo VS All Might_

Of all the students in his class, Midoriya had hoped that he wouldn't be partnered up with Bakugo. He was positive that they wouldn't even be able to speak to each other civilly, much less work together to beat All Might. The best they could do was _maybe _escape, and that was only if All Might was truly slowed down. Considering he had twice the weight as the other teachers on, that was doubtful.

"We'll begin the test in thirty minutes," Nezu announced. "You have until then to come up with a plan; in the interest of fairness, once the test begins, those who are waiting or have already finished can go to the observation room with Recovery Girl." Nezu paused. "Of course, if you need her to help you after your exam, she'll come to you."

Considering who they were fighting, Midoriya would be very surprised if Recovery Girl's services weren't needed.

That thought quickly fled his mind when he saw Bakugo staring him down. While most of the other teams were heading to their rooms to plan—though Midoriya's friends gave him looks ranging from pitying to outright concerned—Bakugo spun around and stomped off.

"Sorry, buddy," Ben said. "You may have to do this one on your own."

"Deku!" Midoriya jumped at Bakugo's shout. "Move your ass! I know I'm gonna have to carry your dumb ass the whole test, but at least try to come up with a decent idea or two!"

_Did… did he just ask for help?_

Ben seemed to have the same question in mind, because he just blinked, then flickered away. "Okay, so I could be wrong."

…

Bakugo sat on one side of the table in their waiting room, and waited for Deku to stop shaking like a leaf so that he could take his own seat. For all the spine the nerd had shown during the Sports Festival, he still had problems looking him in the eye.

_Damn nerd is gonna fall apart if he can't keep it together in front of people, _he thought.

"So," he said, using all his willpower to sound in control, "what's All Might's weakness?"

Deku froze. "W-what?"

"Did I stutter? No, wait, that's your thing." Bakugo had set aside his gauntlets, so he was able to rest his forearms on the table as he leaned forward. "You know more shitty trivia on Heroes than anyone alive, so do something useful with it for once. What's. All Might's. Weakness? How do I—how do _we_ beat him?"

Deku looked down at his hands; he finally stopped shaking, and now seemed to be giving Bakugo's question some serious thought.

"I don't think he _has _a weakness," he said. "Not in the traditional sense—like an Achilles heel or anything. The safest bet would be to evade him as long as possible, and run for the exit."

"Bullshit!" Bakugo slammed one hand on the table, making Deku jump. "I'm not passing this test by running like a little bitch!" He pointed at Deku. "Give me a good plan, or a _really _good reason to run, or I'll lose _on purpose_!"

He meant it, too; Bakugo's pride had taken a serious beating over the last few months. He had consistently come in second place to Deku, of all people, had a humiliating loss in the Sports Festival, and then there was the embarrassment of an internship with Best Jeanist. This time, Bakugo would win or lose on his own terms.

But because his ego had been so thoroughly bruised, it had finally opened his eyes. He _needed _to win; he craved victory like a starving man craves food, and he had gone so long without a meaningful achievement that he was finally willing to bend, when he would have rather broken—though only to a certain extent.

Deku met his gaze, as if studying him; it pissed him off, but he needed Deku to know how much this meant to him. It killed him to admit, even to himself, but this was the closest he would ever come to asking for help.

"I… might have an idea," Deku said slowly. "We'd need to keep making openings for each other, and I doubt we'd be able to actually _beat _All Might…" Bakugo almost shouted again, but then he saw something clever flash through Deku's eyes, and he held his tongue. "But we can give him a good show, and make a fighting retreat to the exit."

All Might didn't lose; Bakugo knew that, even if it shredded his soul to even admit it. But he could accept a fighting retreat, and as long as he got his licks in, he could even stomach working with Deku.

"All right," he said. "What's your stupid plan?"

For the first time in years, Deku grinned at him in a similar way that Bakugo would grin right before a good fight. "Actually, I think you'll like this one."

…

When the thirty minutes were up, all of the students except Kirishima and Mineta assembled at the observation room. Bakugo stalked off to the furthest corner he could find, and as soon as he was gone, Midoriya's friends surrounded him.

"Are you okay, Deku-kun?" Uraraka asked.

"Y-yeah," Midoriya said. "I'm fine."

"You sure, Midori?" Ashido briefly glared at Bakugo, who ignored her. "If that jackass threatened you or something—"

"N-no, he didn't do anything like that!" Other than threaten to intentionally lose if he didn't at least try to beat All Might, but Midoriya didn't say that. "He was actually kind of polite. For him, anyway."

Todoroki frowned, and then put his right hand against Midoriya's forehead. "No fever. He didn't imagine it."

"C-cut it out!" Midoriya flailed his arms to get Todoroki to back off; all it did was get his friends to laugh. "Hey, isn't the first test about to start?"

Yaoyorozu looked at the screen, scowled, and crossed her arms. "I'm conflicted; I want Kirishima to pass, but I also want Mineta to suffer."

"Ouch." Sero winced at the dark look on her face. "What did he do this time?"

"I swear I saw him skulking around the girls locker room," Yaoyorozu said. "He was gone before I could get a good look, though."

"Dammit, I asked Shoji to keep an eye on him today; he's got enough to spare." Sero rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, Yaomomo."

"_First round," _an automated voice said. _"Team Kirishima and Mineta versus Cementoss… begin!"_

The two boys gave an admirable effort to capture Cementoss, but their testing ground—a replica of a city block—was the teacher's element. It didn't take a tactician like Midoriya to see that the odds were heavily stacked against them. Kirishima hurled Mineta into the air, and then held his ground to withstand a barrage of concrete battering rams. While airborne, Mineta tried to rain sticky balls down on the teacher, to the point that his scalp began to bleed; most of the balls were blocked by a giant concrete hand, and the few that actually landed did nothing to stop Cementoss' Quirk. Also, Mineta didn't have a landing strategy, and would have been seriously injured if Cementoss hadn't caught him at the last second. Kirishima ran out of steam a few minutes later, and was buried up to his neck in concrete.

"_Team Kirishima and Mineta: Fail!"_

The entire match had taken less than four minutes.

"I… suppose it is our turn, Sato-san," Iida said amidst the stunned silence.

"Yeah," Sato said nervously. "I sure hope our plan works."

…

_While the students studied for their written exams, the teachers gathered for a review of their own._

"_All of the students are making improvements," Cementoss said. "Both in the classroom, and with their Quirks. However, there is one group in Class 1-A that has been making notable progress."_

_Aizawa nodded. "Midoriya and his friends. They've never had to all work together before, but they've spent enough time together in and out of class to be an effective unit… but only with Midoriya among them. Whether he knows it or not, he brought them together, and he inspired them. I want to remove him from the equation, and see how they do."_

"_Should we break them apart entirely?" Thirteen asked._

_Aizawa shook his head. "Not all of them. For now, let's start with Iida. His speed is an asset, but it can become a liability when a teammate lacks the same mobility. I suggest we pair him with Sato; they don't know each other well, and their conflicting Quirks will force them to find a balance."_

…

Iida quickly decided that Power Loader was a nightmare to fight. It was like fighting Stain again, only instead of jumping around an alley, the teacher was digging through the ground as easily as Armodrillo. At least with Stain, he could see what was happening, but with Power Loader, the only warning of his attack was a sudden rumble underneath their feet.

At first, Iida and Sato had thought things were going well; they were even in sight of the exit! However, there was a flat stretch of earth between them and their goal, and when Power Loader wasn't digging huge holes to block their path, he would pop out of the ground like a deranged Jack-in-the-Box to take swipes at them with his massive digging scoops.

"This is nuts," Sato grumbled. "How can we win if we can't get past him _or _hit him?"

Iida took a deep breath. "By being patient."

_I already learned this lesson, _he thought. _When Stain attacked Tensei, I was ready to charge all through Hosu to find that madman. I didn't think of the consequences, and if my friends hadn't talked me down, I would have done something reckless. I can't forget that now, not when it might help me get through this step to becoming a Pro Hero!_

"Sato-san, I have an idea," Iida said quietly. "It's a modification of our original plan to fight Power Loader-sensei. It will require perfect timing, and a great deal of strength."

Sato nodded and held up a small vial of sugar. "I've got the strength part, but it'll make me stupid, remember?"

"I do; just be ready for my signal."

Sato swallowed the sugar; his muscles bulged underneath his costume, and veins popped out on his forehead. "YEAAAHHH! Let's go!"

"Thinking of just attacking me?" Power Loader taunted from the bottom of a pit. "Kind of hard if you can't even see where I am!"

"Sato-san, now!" Iida shouted. "Throw me at the exit!"

"You got it!" Sato grabbed Iida by the arm, spun around twice, and hurled the other boy with all his considerable strength.

"So, that's your plan?" Power Loader laughed. "Just use your teammate as a human catapult? Too bad you're wide open while you're in the air!"

Power Loader rocketed up, scoops outstretched to swipe Iida out of the air.

_The plan was _never_ to escape, _Iida thought as he waited for his moment. _It's not me who is wide open, but you!_

"Recipro Burst!" Iida's boosters flared, and suddenly, he was flying straight down, even faster than Power Loader was flying up.

With surprise and gravity on his side, Iida's leg slipped through Power Loader's guard and connected solidly with the teacher's metal helmet. There was an almighty clang, and Iida felt pain lance through his shin, but it was Power Loader who fell to the ground, stunned.

"Sato-san, grab him!"

Sato let out a primal roar as he charged, tackling Power Loader and pulling his arms behind his back. Iida limped over and used the special handcuffs they'd been given to secure their teacher.

"Nice work," Power Loader said, once everything stopped ringing. "You turned an obvious weakness into a devastating counterattack. It was risky, but it paid off."

"Thank you," Iida said as he bowed. "I knew that it was unlikely for us to get past you, and while Sato-san could have hurled me with enough force to get me to the exit, I did not wish to leave my teammate behind."

"Good choices." Power Loader grinned. "Well done."

"_Team Iida and Sato: Pass!"_

…

"All right!" Ashido threw her arms around Iida as he rejoined them. "You passed, Tenya!"

"Er, thank you." As comfortable as he was with his friends, Iida was still awkward when it came to shows of physical affection, especially with someone as enthusiastic as Ashido. "But I could not have succeeded without Sato-san."

Yaoyorozu smiled. "Oh, we'll congratulate him, but I don't think he's in any condition to even understand us right now."

Sato had stumbled into the observation room, and sat down with a thud. His Quirk, Sugar Rush, granted him enhanced strength for a limited time, but at the cost of reducing his intelligence. When it wore off, he became sleepy and unresponsive. Now, as he sat in the corner, Hagakure amused herself by poking him and getting zombie-like moans in response.

Iida couldn't help but chuckle at his teammate, but he winced when he put too much weight on one leg, and Yaoyorozu noticed.

"Tenya, did you hurt yourself in your match?"

"I do not believe it is too serious," Iida said. "However, Power Loader's helmet was more durable than I expected."

"Dearie, you should let me be the judge of whether or not an injury is serious." The students jumped when Recovery Girl appeared behind them. She ordered Iida to remove his boot and inspected the injury. "Hmm… I think you might have a slight fracture. Hold still, and I'll fix it right up."

After a quick application of Recovery Girl's Quirk, Iida felt almost as tired as Sato looked, and Yaoyorozu helped him find a seat.

"Perhaps you should ask the Support Department to reinforce the armor on your legs," she suggested.

"That might be a good idea," Iida admitted, even as his eyes drooped. A moment later, he was asleep, and he slumped over to the side; much to Yaoyorozu's embarrassment, his head landed on her shoulder, and there he stayed.

Yaoyorozu noticed Ashido grinning wickedly at her, and knew that it would be a long time before the other girl ever let her forget about this.

"_Team Kaminari and Jiro: Begin!"_

'Later, please,' Yaoyorozu mouthed, and Ashido showed mercy by turning her attention to the screen.

Unfortunately, the match didn't last very long. Jiro tried to hold Present Mic's sonic Quirk with her own, but while Jiro's Quirk was powerful, it was simply outclassed. Kaminari had tried to sneak up on the teacher during the duel of sound, but had been knocked out by Present Mic's stone-shattering voice before he got close enough to use his electricity. Distracted by her teammate's failure, Jiro was quickly defeated as well.

Like he had during the Battle Trials, Midoriya provided a running commentary, taking notes on how his classmates could have done better. However, it quickly boiled down to 'they should have just tried to escape'. For all that they claimed to be holding back, the teachers were pulling no punches.

By the time Kaminari and Jiro returned, Iida had woken up from his power nap. Like his human pillow, he was incredibly embarrassed, and apologized profusely, which had led to an 'I'm sorry', 'No, _I'm _sorry', that would have gone on forever, had Ashido not intervened.

"Hey, Yaomomo, I'd love to tease you guys, but we need to head out for our test."

"You're right, Mina." Yaoyorozu waved at her friends who wished her luck, then patted Jiro on the shoulder. "I'm sorry, Jiro-chan."

Jiro, whose ears were covered in bloody bandages, narrowed her eyes. "What!?"

…

"_Yaoyorozu and Ashido." Aizawa stared down at the two files on the table. "The former has maintained almost perfect grades, and she's shown tremendous growth with her Quirk. The latter has natural talent in practical applications, but her academic improvement has been slower than I'd like."_

"_Still, she _is _improving," Midnight commented. "I think she's been getting tutoring from Yaoyorozu and Midoriya. Why do you want them together for the exam?"_

"_Yaoyorozu is smart, but she could still freeze if her plans go off the rails. She needs to learn how to make decisions on the fly, and Ashido needs to be able to rely on herself for ideas." Aizawa looked at Nezu. "I trust you'll give them a _chance _to win."_

"_I will," Nezu promised. "Still, I'm interested to see just how smart Yaoyorozu is on the field. She's one of the few humans whose intelligence comes close to mine."_

_Even Aizawa hid a shiver; it was rarely good whenever the principal decided on a battle of wits._

…

"I see we've been given a construction yard simulation," Yaoyorozu observed. "There will be plenty of places for Nezu-sensei to hide."

"How can he fight us?" Ashido asked. "Those weights will slow him down, and he's not that strong."

"Remember, he's one of the smartest people on the planet; I wouldn't be surprised if he came up with strategies for scenarios like this when he's bored."

Ashido turned a slightly lighter shade of pink. "Right."

"_Team Yaoyorozu and Ashido: Begin!"_

"We need to lure him out, force him to make the first move." Yaoyorozu led the way through the twisting piles of construction equipment. "He'll probably use hit-and-run tactics, but with this terrain, there's only so much he can do. All we have to do is withstand his attacks, and—"

"Um, Yaomomo?" Ashido held a hand to her ear. "Do you hear something?"

Sure enough, there was a strange whistling sound; a moment later, there was a thunderous crash, and a _freaking wrecking ball_ smashed through a pile of girders, missing the girls by inches.

"What the hell!?" Ashido screeched.

Yaoyorozu saw two girders collide with more precariously balanced equipment, which started to tip towards them. "Run!"

She started to run directly away from the falling debris, but was surprised when Ashido charged _towards _it. She arced a stream of her acid up, melting a narrow groove through the metal; it fell in two piles around the girls.

"Holy crap," Ashido whispered, hand clutching her heart. "That could have killed us!"

"The principal isn't going easy on us," Yaoyorozu said, slightly awestruck over her partner's reflexes and precision. "We need to find out where he is."

"Er…" Ashido pointed at the large crane with a wrecking ball attached. "I think I found him."

Yaoyorozu nodded, and then created a long periscope from her stomach to peer over the walls. "It will take time for him to build up momentum with that crane again, so we have a chance to see… oh, no."

"What?"

"Nezu-sensei has positioned himself perfectly," Yaoyorozu reported. "From his vantage point, he can see the entire testing ground. Knowing him, he'll use that wrecking ball to knock over the terrain to block us, or funnel us into a trap."

"So, escaping isn't gonna happen." Ashido kicked a loose stone; it skipped across the street, until it hit something metal. When she saw what it was, Ashido froze. "Hey, Momo?"

"Yes?" Yaoyorozu was tapping her chin and pacing, trying to think of a way to outmaneuver Nezu. "What is it?"

"He can't see through walls, can he?"

"No…?"

"How about the sewers?" Ashido pointed at the manhole not far from them.

Yaoyorozu looked at the manhole, then at Ashido. "That's… that's brilliant!"

Ashido saw the wrecking ball coming back, and rapidly building up speed. "Move first, flatter later!" Rather than try to lift the heavy piece of metal, she just melted through it. "Go!"

Both girls jumped into the simulated sewer system; thankfully, there was no horrible smell to go along with it. Above them, the wrecking ball smashed apart another wall, which fell over the hole, blocking out the light.

"Well, at least he can't see us," Yaoyorozu said as she created a flare and lit it.

"Yeah, now we just have to get to the exit from here." Ashido laughed nervously. "I hope there's a manhole close to the exit."

Yaoyorozu created a small compass in her free hand. "The exit was to our south. We just have to get close enough to make a break for it… unless…"

"Unless what?"

"Unless we try to catch Nezu-sensei, instead of just running away." She closed her eyes and concentrated. "He wasn't that far from the exit; if we can get inside his reach, we could scale the crane and capture him."

"You said that he could see everything around him," Ashido pointed out. "Won't he see us coming after we go up?"

"That's… that's right." Yaoyorozu grimaced. "Either way, we'll be exposed."

Ashido almost made a crass joke, but then an idea came to her. "Well… he's only got two eyes, so he can't focus on more than one spot at a time."

"Are you suggesting we split up?" Yaoyorozu frowned. "He'll know something is up as soon as he sees one of us alone."

"Not if he thinks that we're still together." Now that she had the idea, Ashido was running with it. "How fast can you sprint?"

…

"Come on, girls," Nezu taunted from inside his crane. "You only have a few minutes left! You'll be disqualified soon!"

At least their idea to go into the sewers was a good one, he mused as he sipped his tea. Yaoyorozu had likely calculated that he would see them anywhere on the surface, so had decided to risk a blind run through the sewers. Nezu was sure she'd use a compass to get them in the right direction, but it would still be slow going. It was too bad he'd thrown a wrench into her plan so soon; however the exam ended, he wanted to ask her what her original strategy was.

Sudden movement caught his eye, and he set aside his tea. There, not too far from the exit, was Yaoyorozu, with Ashido right behind her. It seemed the girls were making a desperate run for an escape.

"Such a shame," he said as he adjusted the wrecking ball. "I expected more from you, Yaoyorozu-san."

Just as he sent the wrecking ball at the girls, he heard a hissing sound, and his keen nose picked up the smell of melting metal. He whirled in his seat, and saw Ashido crouched behind him; one hand held a set of handcuffs, while the other dripped acid menacingly. From the hole underneath her, Nezu realized that the girl must have climbed up the crane and melted a hole into the control room. She was panting heavily, so she must have been moving for all her worth.

"I have no room to maneuver," Nezu said calmly, and held up his paws. "I surrender."

"Glad…" Ashido took a ragged breath as she put the cuffs on him. "Glad to hear it, Nezu-sensei."

"_Team Yaoyorozu and Ashido: Pass!"_

After Ashido secured the principal, she walked down to ground-level with him on her shoulder. The test was over, so they could afford to be more relaxed.

"I must ask," Nezu said, "what did you do to fool me? I could have sworn that you were with Yaoyorozu-san."

"You'll see in a second," Ashido replied as she walked up to her teammate. "Yaomomo! I got him!"

"Excellent work, Mina!" Yaoyorozu stumbled over. "Can you please help me get this off?"

'This' turned out to be the source of their deception. It was a series of wires connected to a transparent plastic harness around Yaoyorozu's body; on the other end of the wires was a crude mannequin of Ashido. The dummy had a purple body and legs, with pink arms and head; its limbs were segmented to allow it to move, mimicking Yaoyorozu as she dragged it behind her.

"Clever," Nezu said as he examined the mannequin. "I couldn't see details at that distance, so I believed that you were both there. Excellent distraction; was this your plan, Yaoyorozu-san?"

"Actually, most of this was Mina." Yaoyorozu smiled at her teammate, who beamed. "It might have been simple in concept, but the idea of the dummy was inspired."

"Tell me, what would you have done if I had figured out your ruse?"

"We would have continued as planned," Yaoyorozu admitted. "If you went after Mina, I was close enough to the exit to escape, but if you managed to stop me, she could still catch you. Either way, we would have won."

Nezu was pleased to see how happy the girls were, so he refrained from mentioning his last resort. He could have thrown his hot tea in Ashido's face, used the distraction to stop Yaoyorozu with the wrecking ball, and then escaped through a window. Yaoyorozu would have been trapped, and Ashido would have been too far away to escape, not to mention blinded.

But that was too cruel for a test. He would have carried out such brutal tactics against real Villains, but never his students. Was he soft because he held back? Maybe, but he had made the choice to do so, and the girls' plan _had _been good.

It was still early days, but he had a good feeling about Class 1-A.

…

Ashido laughed as Uraraka threw her arms around her. "You passed! You both passed!"

"Of course we did," Ashido said through a face-splitting grin. "We're awesome!"

Though she had hidden it behind her usual confidence and enthusiasm, Ashido had actually been worried sick about the exams. She knew her better academic scores were entirely thanks to the tutoring from Midoriya and Yaoyorozu, and she knew she'd been way out of her depth when she saw not only who she was partnered with, but also who they were facing. She wasn't one to let doubts or insecurities get to her, but compared to them, she felt woefully inadequate. It also didn't help that a small part of her was still jealous that Yaoyorozu had done so much better during the Sports Festival.

All that had led up to her barely holding it together during the practical exam. She had fully expected Yaoyorozu to have a foolproof plan in place, but that had fallen apart when Nezu had quite literally taken a wrecking ball to her strategy. So Ashido had tossed out what she considered a truly dumb idea; after all, 'distract and takedown' was such an obvious tactic that no one would fall for it, especially Nezu. Then again, the problem with geniuses was that they sometimes ignored the simplest solution to a problem. She had expected Yaoyorozu to not only dismiss her idea, but come up with a dozen counterpoints to it. But instead, Yaoyorozu had listened to her, trusted her, and they had ended up passing.

Ashido was starting to think she might have a chance of actually being a good Hero.

…

The next round turned into an interesting game of cat and mouse. It would have been a simple matter for Hagakure to score the win for her team by sneaking past Snipe, but she and Ojiro had agreed that that was an obvious tactic that wouldn't have earned many points. Instead, Hagakure intentionally made noise around the teacher, forcing him to fire blindly, and buying time for Ojiro to prepare an ambush from the rafters above him. It had been close at the end, but Ojiro managed to disarm Snipe with a swipe of his tail, and then tossed the cuffs to Hagakure, who actually caught the teacher.

Their win had bolstered the hopes of the rest of the class; at that point, the number of students who passed had outpaced those who hadn't. When it was Todoroki and Asui's turn, many of their classmates were confident in their success; after all, Todoroki was one of the most powerful students in their year, and Asui was nothing if not reliable.

"Are we still going to try and capture Thirteen-sensei, ribbit?" Asui asked as she and Todoroki got to the starting line.

"Thirteen always says she's not a combat-oriented Hero," Todoroki said. "If I can distract her, you should be able to take herdown easily. If it comes down to it, I can still hold heroff while you get to the exit."

Asui nodded. "Makes sense, ribbit, but we still need to be careful of herQuirk."

Like most of the teachers, Thirteen was between them and the exit, though there was about a hundred feet separating the teacher from the students' goal. With her spacesuit concealing her features—and no one was quite sure what a living black hole looked like to begin with—it was impossible to tell what she was thinking.

"I was expecting a direct approach, Todoroki-san," Thirteen said calmly. "How do you plan to get around my Black Hole?"

Todoroki shifted his right foot forward. "I was thinking of testing how much you could take."

"And then allow Asui-san to attack me while I'm distracted, yes?" Thirteen sounded unimpressed as she popped the cap off one of her gloves. "Your one-dimensional tactics only work against someone who can't counter you."

…

"_Thirteen, I want you to take down Todoroki and Asui." Aizawa studied the files in front of him. "Both sides of Todoroki's Quirk negatively affect Asui, so it will force him to fight strategically, instead of unleashing huge attacks."_

"_I understand." Thirteen crossed her arms. "I don't have to worry about collateral damage?"_

"_Just don't kill the students."_

…

"Do you know why I focused my skills on rescuing people?" Thirteen called out over the howling noise of her Quirk. "It's because I knew that if I actually honed by combat abilities, I would become the most dangerous person on the planet. My Quirk doesn't allow for anything but absolutes; either I leave an opponent unharmed, or they die, simple as that."

Todoroki created a wall of ice to try and block the unstoppable vacuum, but it was sucked up in seconds. When he tried to freeze the floor, trapping Thirteen in place, the teacher merely pointed her finger at the ground for a moment, sucking up the top layer of the street. His fire lasted for even less time, with the oxygen snuffed out in an instant.

Behind him, Asui looked on in fear; it was sobering to see someone as powerful as Todoroki so effectively shut down, and Thirteen hadn't even taken a single step forward.

"Shoto, we can't win like this!" Asui called out over the noise. "We need to run!"

"If we run, she'll just catch us with her Quirk!" Todoroki glanced back at her, and made a snap decision. "I'll buy you some time, and you make a break for it!"

Before Asui could protest, Todoroki created a pillar of ice underneath her at an angle and launched her upward, over Thirteen and towards the exit. Todoroki had made his play, and now Asui's hand was forced; she had to escape, or they were certain to fail. Unfortunately, her momentum halted halfway through the air; she looked back and saw Thirteen aiming an uncapped finger from her other hand at her. She capped her glove as soon as Asui fell towards her, but her other remained open, eventually overwhelming Todoroki and pulling him forward as well. The students fell to their knees, and when they looked up, they saw a finger pointing at each of them.

"This fight is over," Thirteen said in no uncertain terms. "If this was a real fight, if I was a real Villain, you would be dead. For the purposes of this exam, you have failed to capture me, and you failed to get away." Her voice became a little kinder. "I'm sorry, but you will not pass today."

"_Team Todoroki and Asui: Fail!"_

…

Midoriya was more than a little shocked; not just because Todoroki and Asui had failed, but by how powerful Thirteen could be when she stopped holding back. If she had chosen a different path in life, she would have been a terrifying Villain.

It also hit him that two of his friends would now not be going to the summer camp.

Uraraka was the first to reach the dejected pair as they rejoined them. "Shoto, Tsu—"

"I'm sorry," Todoroki said, focusing on Asui. "I was overconfident because Thirteen focuses on rescue, not combat. This is all my fault."

Asui shook her head. "No, it's my fault too. I should have insisted on escaping instead of fighting, ribbit." She looked genuinely upset as she turned to the others. "I'm sorry, ribbit. I guess we're not going with you."

Uraraka gave Asui a hug, but then saw Shoji waving her over; she reluctantly parted from her friends, but accepted an encouraging nod from Midoriya.

"It just goes to show you just how serious the teachers are about this test," Sero commented as he put a hand on Todoroki's shoulder, and an arm around Asui.

"We won't fail again," Todoroki promised. "Next time, we'll pass."

Asui blinked back tears as she nodded, then leaned into Sero's side with a ribbit. Ashido would have teased her, but Asui looked too miserable, and Ashido herself was also too upset that some of their group wouldn't be able to enjoy the summer camp.

It was a sobering realization that they all had a long way to go.

…

Uraraka tried to stay focused, but it was hard when all she could think about was the crestfallen look on her friends' faces. It bothered her so much that not all of them would be able to enjoy something they had worked so hard to reach.

"Uraraka-san, are we still going to run for the exit?" Shoji asked with one of his tentacle-mouths. "It seems like everyone's initial plans keep failing."

"I think it's still a good idea," Uraraka said. "Aizawa-sensei can shut down our Quirks, and he's way better at fighting than we are. But we still have the backup plan."

"Right." Shoji swiveled an extra eye around as they walked through their test site, which was designed to look like a typical suburban neighborhood. "Still no sign of him, but we'll know he's there as soon as—" His extra eye abruptly reverted to its original tentacle-like form. "There!"

"No more time, go for Plan A!" Uraraka jumped into Shoji's arms, and then everything went dark as his membranes encircled her like a blanket. "Run, Shoji-san!"

…

"_Both Uraraka and Shoji rely on their Quirks, either for mobility or surveillance," Aizawa said. "I'll shut down their Quirks and force them to think of another plan."_

"_It's amazing how often a student loses their confidence after you erase their Quirk," All Might commented. "What lesson are you trying to teach them here?"_

_Aizawa smirked. "To not rely on fancy powers, but their own skills."_

…

Uraraka had known going in that fighting Aizawa would be a challenge; all he had to do was look at them, and their Quirks would be impossible to use.

However, that was the trick—Aizawa had to _see _them. She had remembered, during a ramble from Midoriya in a study session, that Aizawa couldn't erase a Quirk if there was something blocking the target, though he only had to see a small part of their bodies to do so.

That was why Shoji had completely encased her in his arms. As long as Aizawa couldn't see her directly, her Quirk was still usable.

"How much further?" she called out, her voice muffled.

"I can see the exit," Shoji reported, "but I still can't use my Quirk. Aizawa-sensei must still be close."

"I am," Aizawa said, suddenly behind them; his capture tool lashed out and wrapped around Shoji's leg. "And now, I have you."

"Plan B!" Uraraka shouted, and pressed her fingers against Shoji's chest. Now weightless, Shoji pushed off the ground and kicked off the now-slack scarf. The weightlessness only lasted for a second, and then Uraraka released it.

Shoji landed heavily, but grabbed the capture tool before Aizawa could reel it back in. His Quirk might have still been erased, but his strength was completely natural; Aizawa had no chance in a game of tug-of-war.

Uraraka leaped out of Shoji's arms and made a dash for Aizawa's legs; she slid underneath them, but now that she was out of his line of sight, she was free to use her Quirk, and reached for his back. Aizawa had clearly expected that sort of move, and unleashed a devastating reverse-kick without even looking. His foot connected with her head, but her new helmet kept her from getting anything worse than a bruise.

"Good teamwork," Aizawa grunted. "But you don't have the skill to beat me in a straight fight."

Uraraka almost snapped back, but she remembered a lesson from Gunhead—don't engage in needless conversation in the middle of a fight, to save her breath for actually beating the enemy.

As she rolled out of the way of another kick, Uraraka noticed something in a side street; it had been an idea she and Shoji had toyed with, but they hadn't been aware of their terrain before the test started, and they'd had no way to know if it would come up. Still, now that it was a possibility…

"Shoji-san!" she barked. "Plan C!"

Aizawa raised an eyebrow as Uraraka jumped out of reach and circled around to Shoji. "Plan C?"

"C for 'cover'," Shoji said, and spread out his arms as widely as possible, blocking Aizawa's line of sight to his teammate as she ran behind him.

"Duck!" Uraraka shouted, and Shoji dropped; a moment later, Aizawa saw the manhole cover Uraraka had made weightless and hurled like a discus at him.

As soon as his gaze landed on Uraraka, her Quirk was erased, which meant that gravity suddenly applied to the circle of metal again. Gravity didn't mean momentum was gone, though; if anything, though the manhole cover started to arc down, the effect of gravity made it speed up. With the weights on his arms and legs, and his capture tool still held by Shoji, Aizawa couldn't avoid the hunk of metal that collided with his stomach. It wasn't the worst hit he'd ever taken—that dubious honor went to the Nomu from USJ—but the wind was certainly knocked out of him, and he'd have to let Recovery Girl make sure he didn't have any internal injuries.

"Shoji-san, get him!"

Winded though he was, Aizawa wasn't completely helpless, and he tossed out a handful of caltrops in an effort to stave off Shoji. The boy just powered through them and wrapped his powerful arms around Aizawa, pinning his own arms to his sides. A moment later, Uraraka slapped the cuffs on him.

"_Team Uraraka and Shoji: Pass!"_

…

Most of Class 1-A had been stunned by Todoroki and Asui's loss, but their flagging hopes were restored by the victory over Aizawa. Most of them had subconsciously assumed that they would be unable to win after their Quirks were erased, and would have to run away. Perhaps for the first time, some of them wondered if Quirks were what was required to be a Hero.

"Ochako, that was amazing!"

For Midoriya, all he cared about was that his girlfriend had passed the exam, and he showed his enthusiasm by hugging her and spinning her around in his arms. She laughed tiredly and hugged him back.

"Thanks, Deku-kun," she said. "But I couldn't have done any of that without Shoji-san."

"R-right." Midoriya put her down and turned to Shoji, who was getting his minor cuts and bruises treated by Recovery Girl. "You were both great out there, Shoji-san."

"Thank you," Shoji said with a nod. "But if you don't mind, I will refrain from getting hugged."

Most of the students, even those who had failed the exam, chuckled a little at Midoriya and Uraraka's embarrassed reactions. They hadn't exactly hid that they were dating, though they kept public displays of affection to a minimum; still, this was high school, so their personal lives were generally known by their classmates, whether they wanted it or not.

"All right, you kids," Recovery Girl called out, "I think it's time for the next test!"

Midoriya swallowed nervously and shared a tense look with Bakugo; only two more teams, and then it would be their turn.

…

Koda and Aoyama surprised everyone with a quick and almost easy victory over Midnight. Koda had stolen the show by finally revealing the full power of his Quirk, Anivoice; he summoned a huge flock of birds to swarm the teacher, keeping her occupied until Aoyama could line up the perfect shot with his Navel Laser. She'd been stunned, but neither boy wanted to risk getting close to her, so Koda had more birds place the cuffs on her for him.

That was also the day that the class discovered that Koda had an adorably high-pitched voice. For many of them, it was worth the months wondering what he sounded like.

Sero and Tokoyami's test was more worrying; they were up against Ectoplasm, and their testing zone was built to resemble a shopping mall. The hallways limited Sero's movement, and gave the advantage to Ectoplasm, who could create dozens of duplicates of himself. Sero didn't need to have Midoriya's talent in tactics or Quirk analysis to know that this would be hard for him.

Thankfully, Tokoyami had had an idea. All they needed to do was get enough room to make it work.

…

"_Sero isn't a fighter," Aizawa said bluntly. "His Quirk isn't suited to a battle of strength, but it seems he knows this."_

"_He does like to go on about how he loves anything involving maneuverability," All Might added. He had been quiet for most of the meeting, but this analysis of the students had started to become kind of fun, especially if this ended up helping them. He could see why Midoriya enjoyed it so much._

"_Exactly," Aizawa said, though it sounded like it cost a piece of his soul to agree with the other man. "His Quirk also dehydrates him after extended use, which means he has to balance just how much tape he can make. Ectoplasm, I want you to overwhelm him; force him to really think about his moves."_

_Ectoplasm nodded. "What about Tokoyami?"_

"_You'll be fighting in the light, and Dark Shadow can only do so much without darkness." Aizawa adjusted his scarf. "In this situation, both of them will have to use their Quirks sparingly, at least until they either escape, or if they find a way to outmaneuver you."_

"_I'll give them a chance…"_

…

"… but don't think I'll go easy on you!"

Ectoplasm opened his mouth, and silvery blobs poured out; they quickly formed into perfect copies of himself, and they fanned out to hunt down the students. It didn't take them long, but the first clone to attack was slammed to the ground by Dark Shadow, and quickly melted into a puddle.

Ectoplasm's Quirk was odd—not necessarily in what it did, but how he could control his clones. They followed his thoughts, while many other clone-based Quirks either created independent copies, or solid illusions. The downside was that he felt an echo of the pain his clones did, and he could get overwhelmed by too much mental stimuli, but decades of training had largely mitigated those weaknesses.

His Quirk was also what made him such a good teacher; he could observe each student in a classroom individually, and give each one the same amount of attention. In this case, observing Sero and Tokoyami from several different perspectives showed him one very important thing.

They were better than they gave themselves credit for.

Tokoyami's file suggested that he had struggled with the violent nature of his Quirk for most of his life. He was always fighting to keep Dark Shadow from going on a rampage, especially in the dark. However, as he watched the living Quirk methodically decimate his clones, Ectoplasm saw just how much control Tokoyami had. So long as he wasn't fighting someone with a hard counter to Dark Shadow, Tokoyami was almost unstoppable.

Sero, on the other hand, had a low opinion of himself when it came to combat. Yes, maneuverability and capture were his strong points, but he wasn't as useless as he claimed to be. His technique needed polishing, but he took advantages of any openings Dark Shadow created by delivering quick punches and kicks to weakened clones, and set up devastating combos by taping up others.

Both boys had a good eye for necessary spacing, and made sure to keep enough distance to not get in each other's way, but close enough to support the other if they had to. It was all rudimentary teamwork, nothing fancy, but Ectoplasm saw how quickly they fell into that pattern, and approved. Plenty of Heroes had to work with others they were unfamiliar with, and such tactics were a tried-and-true method for success.

The students fought their way through a dozen clones, until they found the real Ectoplasm, standing guard in front of the exit. Even if they just wanted to escape, they would still have to deal with him.

Ectoplasm could have just swarmed them with clones; after all, he could replace any he lost indefinitely, while Sero would eventually get dehydrated, and once one student was incapacitated, it would be easy to defeat the other. However, he wanted to see how they would react if they had to fight a _real _monster.

"Hello, students," he said in his deepest voice, a trait he'd used to intimidate criminals before. "You got through my clones easily enough. Well done."

"Thanks, Ectoplasm-sensei," Sero said, while Tokoyami only nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"Unfortunately, I have more than just numbers on my side." Ectoplasm took a deep breath, and then vomited forth a much larger blob that formed a giant version of himself. "I cannot create other clones while using this giant, but it is more than a match for you."

Sero's helmet and Tokoyami's avian features meant that Ectoplasm couldn't get a good read on them through facial expressions, but their body language told him a great deal. They were certainly surprised—not that he blamed them, since he hardly ever used his giant clone, so they were unlikely to know about it—but instead of panicking, they were determined. That was good; Heroes couldn't afford to let surprises shock them into inaction.

"Sero-san, go!" Tokoyami sent out Dark Shadow, who latched onto the giant's face.

Ectoplasm watched as Sero swung through the area on his tape. At first, he thought the boy would try to escape, but the giant would hit him no matter what direction he took. Then he saw Sero tape up the skylight above them, before kicking out every light he could reach. In less than a minute, the room barely had any light.

"You're good, Tokoyami-san!" Sero called out. "Let him have it!"

"Now, Dark Shadow!" It could have been Ectoplasm's imagination, but he thought Tokoyami's eyes glowed as balefully as his Quirk's. "Unleash your fury!"

"_About time!" _With so little light, Dark Shadow grew to monstrous proportions. He still wasn't as big as the giant clone, but his strength was more than enough to smash it into the far wall. _"It's been forever since I could cut loose!"_

While the two monsters battled, Ectoplasm tried to keep an eye out for Sero; in the darkness, that was difficult, and the first sign he had of the student's attack was a strand of tape that wrapped around one of his prosthetic legs. He was pulled off-balance, and then encased in tape up to his neck.

"Tokoyami-san, I got him!" Sero shouted. "Tell Dark Shadow to lay off!"

"I cannot!" Tokoyami yelled back. "He becomes wild in the darkness!"

"Crap," Sero muttered, then looked down at the teacher. "Sorry, Ectoplasm-sensei, I'll be right back!"

Ectoplasm knew from Tokoyami's file just how dangerous Dark Shadow could be. "The test is over, just go."

Sero zipped back up to the ceiling and tore away the tape on the skylight; once a few beams of light came through, they forced Dark Shadow into a smaller, more controllable state. He was still brimming with energy, but was no longer on the rampage.

"_Team Sero and Tokoyami: Pass!"_

"My apologies," Tokoyami said with a short bow. "I did not expect Dark Shadow to become quite that bad. He is usually only like that at night."

"_Not my fault you never let me go all-out," _Dark Shadow muttered petulantly.

Ectoplasm allowed Sero to help free him from the tape. "You both did well; Sero-san, you were key to helping Tokoyami-san become as powerful as he did. However, Tokoyami-san, you should remember to communicate such dangers, even if they may not occur. Such things may be crucial for a teammate to know; had Sero-san not acted as quickly as he had, I would have been forced to step in, and you both might have failed."

Both boys bowed. "Yes, Sensei!"

Ectoplasm smiled. "Now, you two should go back to the observation room. I am sure neither of you want to miss the next match."

…

Sero grinned as his friends surrounded him; so much time had been spent doubting his abilities in a fight, and he had not only managed to defeat a Pro Hero—with help, and said Hero was handicapped—but he had also gone above and beyond by making sure Dark Shadow didn't go out of control. He was feeling pretty good about himself, though it was soured a little by knowing that Todoroki and Asui wouldn't be going with him to camp.

"Great job, ribbit," Asui croaked, doing her best to stay happy for him. "I had no idea Ectoplasm-sensei could make a giant clone."

Most of the Rising Stars paused; they expected Midoriya to shower them with little-known trivia about Ectoplasm, but to their surprise, he was silent. Then they saw that he was locking eyes with Bakugo.

"Come on, nerd," Bakugo snarled. "I'm not gonna get disqualified because you were too busy playing with your friends."

Ashido muttered something under her breath as Bakugo stormed off; Sero didn't catch it, but Yaoyorozu did, and it wasn't nice, if her mortified expression was anything to go by.

"Good luck, Deku-kun," Uraraka said nervously, and gave him a quick hug, which he returned.

"Thanks," he said, and took a deep breath. "We're both going to need it."

_Yeah, but the only reason we'd root for Bakugo is because we want _you _to pass, _Sero thought.

The students watched the screen with rapt attention, as Bakugo and Midoriya arrived at their testing grounds. It had been designed to look like a typical small city, with dozens of houses that eventually became a business district. There was plenty of room to maneuver, but also plenty of opportunities to cause collateral damage. That would lower their score, and both of them would have to be careful.

Kaminari coughed into his hand to break the tension. "So, any bets on how long those two last against All Might? I say five minutes, unless Bakugo goes nuts and tries to blow up Midoriya."

"Six minutes, and I say Bakugo gets knocked out first!" Hagakure chimed in.

"Two minutes," Ojiro said. "I mean, it's All Might they're fighting. Even if he has to hold back, he could probably take down any of Midoriya's forms in one punch, right?"

Midoriya's friends felt a little indignant on his behalf, though they had to admit that the idea of All Might _losing_ was a bit hard to believe.

"Ten minutes," Todoroki declared. "And Midoriya gets in at least two good hits."

"Same time, but I bet Midoriya has to save Bakugo once," Asui said.

Most of the other Rising Stars made similar bets, but Uraraka crossed her arms, never taking her focus away from the screen.

"I bet they'll pass."

The rest of the class, and even Recovery Girl, regarded her with some disbelief, but none of them argued with her. There was a deep conviction in her eyes, an absolute faith that Midoriya would win—a faith that somehow even reached out to Bakugo.

"_Team Midoriya and Bakugo: Begin!"_

**Oh, god, this chapter was a slog to write. I didn't expect to get through every single fight (except the last one) in one chapter. I'm kind of glad that I chose to mainly focus on the Rising Stars for this story, because I'd have to write a whole lot more detail if I gave everyone in Class 1-A equal treatment.**

**I may go back and edit this chapter, because I feel like it's not up to my usual standards. Sorry about that, but I'm in a really bad place at the time of this chapter. Let me paint you a picture:**

**Dog 1: Hey, guys, I broke my foot!**

**Dog 2: That's nothing! I got cancer!**

**Dog 3: Please, that's basic. I **_**died**_**!**

**Yeah, a few days ago (at the time of this writing), my third dog got really sick. We took him to the vet hospital, and at first, he seemed to be doing okay. Then he got worse and worse, to the point that the vet said that the best option would be to just let him go, especially since they couldn't figure out what the problem was. This was very sudden for my family and I; we had no time to brace ourselves for it, so it was devastating.**

**Rest in peace, Hercules. You were a good boy.**

**Anyway, yeah, I wrote most of this chapter before all this went down, but I may go back and edit it later.**

**Speaking of the chapter…**

**Uraraka got her new costume, Version 2.1, but she'll get more added later. And Sero got an addition as well.**

**The exams are happening, but more students have failed in this story than in canon. I like the idea of the teachers pulling no punches, especially Thirteen. In my head, she only became a Rescue Hero because she would literally kill everyone else if she actually tried to hone her fighting ability.**

**Oh, and my two favorites to write were Uraraka/Shoji against Aizawa, and Ashido/Yaoyorozu against Nezu. God, those were fun.**

**And if you thought that Midoriya and Bakugo's little chat went too smoothly, don't worry; there's more to it coming up.**

**Anyway, as always, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. You can find it on my website (link in my profile), or as an eBook or physical copy on Amazon. Sales are good for me, and you all get something to read!**

**If you want to support me in other ways, please consider donating on my P-atreon (link in my profile). I dream of the day I can live off that alone and just write nonstop every day.**

**Shout-out to the patrons who generously help me towards that goal:**

**Serious Muffins:** **jafr86, SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, John Collins, Red Bard, Aaron Meek, Shaolin Khalil, killroy225**

**Incredible Muffins: RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844**

**Ultra Muffins: Adam Costello, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Can the rivals of Class 1-A defeat the Symbol of Peace? Can they even survive?**

**Stay safe out there!**

**Plus Muffin!**


	24. Invitations

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. DON'T TRY TO GET POWERS THROUGH RADIATION, KIDS. IT'S NOT WORTH THE HOSPITAL BILL.**

**It's the main event, folks! Let's get to it!**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 24

Invitations

Inko hummed to herself as she gathered the ingredients for dinner. It was a little early, but she got off work early that day, and had nothing else to distract her. Izuku had told her that today was the practical exam for midterms, and he was nervous about it. Inko was optimistic about her son's chances—after all, he was a good student, and he was getting the hang of his aliens' powers.

"Then again, he still sometimes lets his nerves get the better of him," Inko said to herself. "Oh, I hope his friends keep him from going down that path before it's too late… but what if they suddenly decide to sabotage him to boost their own scores? What if…"

For several minutes, Inko spiraled deeper into her own fears for her son, until she reached one fact that she couldn't deny.

"No matter what happens, Ben will be there for him," she said. "And he's brought out the best in Izuku. I'm sure they'll both be fine."

Satisfied, Inko was about to get back to making dinner when her phone rang. It was across the room, and rather than put down the measuring cup she was using, she simply summoned the phone to her hand with her Quirk. Distracted as she was, she didn't see the caller ID when she answered.

"Hello?"

"_Hello, Inko."_

The voice of Midoriya Hisashi nearly made her drop the phone. It had been almost two weeks since she'd heard from her husband; absence made the heart grow fonder, it was said, and Inko felt butterflies in her stomach at the sound of his voice, just like every time.

"Hisashi!" Inko put away everything else and focused entirely on the phone. "I wasn't expecting your call until next week! Is everything all right?"

Hisashi laughed. _"Everything is fine, Inko—better than fine, actually."_

"Really? That's good." Inko glanced at the time. "Izuku isn't home right now, though; he's taking his midterm practical exam today."

"_I can call again later today, but I wanted to talk to you first." _Inko was surprised; Hisashi loved his family, and called as often as work allowed, but she couldn't remember the last time he called more than once in a day.

"Well, I'm here."

She could almost hear his loving smile as he spoke. _"How would you like to go on a little vacation?"_

…

"This better fucking work, Deku."

Midoriya glanced uneasily at his partner, then went back to cycling through his aliens. "If it doesn't, you'll have every right to be mad at me."

"I'm always mad at you, moron."

"B-but then you'll have a g-good reason."

Bakugo scoffed, then glanced at the Ultimatrix. "Just pick one already, damn it."

Midoriya flinched, and then turned into Shocksquatch. "Okay, we should still hurry for the exit, eh? It'll make things easier if we have to go with Plan B."

Bakugo grumbled wordlessly, and then stomped off; he didn't get far before a living meteor crashed down from the sky, breaking apart the street and nearly knocking both students over.

"Who cares if I destroy this place?" All Might cried, falling into the role of the Villain. "The real question is, can you two weaklings stop me!?"

For the first time since the exam began, Bakugo's signature wild grin appeared; tiny explosions erupted from his hands. "I guess we'll find out, huh?"

…

Back in the observation room, even Uraraka looked nervous, despite her earlier conviction. "Um, Recovery Girl?"

The nurse glanced at her. "Yes, dearie?"

"All Might-sensei knows not to hurt them, right?"

Recovery Girl sighed. "Intellectually, yes, but if he gets too excited, he may overdo it… which means I may have my work cut out for me by the time this is done."

More than one student winced; you would have to be living under a rock to not have ever seen a video of All Might pummeling a Villain, and they were always hauled away by an ambulance.

Asui patted Uraraka's shoulder. "They'll be fine, ribbit; we were all joking with those bets, right, everyone?"

The other students hastily agreed with her, though most privately thought that even giving Bakugo and Midoriya five minutes was generous. This was, after all, the man who could change the weather by moving too fast on a Sunday stroll.

Uraraka clasped her hands together as she watched her boyfriend get ready for his fight. _Please be careful, Deku-kun!_

…

"_Your job is simple, All Might," Aizawa told him. "You need to show Bakugo and Midoriya the gap between good students, and the very best of the best. Bakugo still has that pride of his, and Midoriya hasn't really lost yet; both of them need to have some humility beaten into them."_

"_I understand," All Might said. "I still need to give them a chance, right?"_

"_A chance to escape," Aizawa amended. "Don't let them win in a straight fight. If they can't figure out that there are some opponents they can't beat, then they'll have to rethink their choice of careers."_

_All Might couldn't blame him. After all, if he had faced All For One with backup, he might not have been crippled. Far better for the boys to learn that lesson in a safe environment, and still have lives to look forward to._

…

Surprising exactly no one, Bakugo made the first move, blasting forward with one hand and aiming the other at All Might.

"Die!"

The explosion that ripped through the street was powerful enough to shatter more than a few windows. Had All Might been anyone else, that one attack would have certainly left them reeling, and probably in need of a doctor. However, when the smoke cleared, All Might was completely unhurt; in fact, he just threw his head back and laughed.

"HAHAHA!" All Might put his hands on his hips. "If that's the best you've got, young Bakugo, I'm afraid you have a long way to—grk!"

Shocksquatch had taken the opportunity to fire a bolt of lightning from his mouth, which struck All Might square-on. Like Bakugo's explosion, it didn't hurt the man, but the electricity did cause his muscles to lock up for a second. That second was all Bakugo needed to get in close and unleash a barrage of smaller explosions.

"Just fall down, dammit!"

All Might _did _take a single step back, but only so that he could deliver a stinging backhand to Bakugo's face that sent him hurtling into a parked car.

"If you're trying to wear me down with little attacks like that, I'm afraid you picked the wrong opponent." All Might turned when he saw a flash of green light. "Don't think I forgot about you, young Midoriya."

"Rath didn't think you did!" Rath's fist was headed for All Might's face, but the Symbol of Peace caught it in one muscular hand. "No fair! Rath is the strong one!"

"Are you sure about that?" All Might cocked back his free hand. "TEXAS SMASH!"

It was hard to tell what actually sent Rath flying clear through a house—the punch that hit him in the gut, or the tornado said punch produced.

All Might laughed again, and was about to follow after him, only for Bakugo to leap onto his back and put both hands on his head. The following point-blank explosion sent Bakugo flying back, and for All Might to stagger forward. He had taken much worse in his career, but that was certainly unpleasant, and he was distracted enough to not be ready for Rath to come barreling out of the dust and clock him across the jaw.

"Now, Deku!" Bakugo shouted as he bombarded All Might again.

"Don't tell Rath what to do!" Rath shouted back, even as he jumped away and slapped the dial on his belt. "GHOSTFREAK!"

All Might knew what the boys were planning; the problem was, he had no idea how to counter a body-snatcher who could become immune to physical attacks. All he could do was brace himself as Ghostfreak flew straight into him, and everything went dark.

…

"I guess it's over," Sero commented. "We all forgot he could do that. All Izuku has to do is keep All Might in place, and Bakugo can put the cuffs on him."

"I'm not sure, ribbit." Asui pointed. "What's going on down there?"

…

_Everything was dark. Midoriya could barely see as he trudged through the snow; the only thing that illuminated the darkness was a distant fire._

"_How did I get here?" he asked himself. "I was Ghostfreak, and I was fighting All Might, and now I'm in this place. What's going on?"_

_It took what felt like ages, but he found his way to the fire. It could have been his imagination, but he thought it was shrinking, ever so slowly._

"_**You are not supposed to be here."**_

_Seven voices all spoke as one, and they chilled Midoriya more than the snow ever could. Seven shadowy figures appeared all around him, and all pointed at him._

"_**You are no successor," **__they said. __**"You have no power here. Leave! You will not control him. We will always fight you!"**_

_Midoriya felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if he'd been punched, and then a tugging sensation—_

…

—and Ghostfreak tumbled out of All Might with a gasp.

"What? How did—"

"Deku! Get your head in the fucking game!" Bakugo growled like a rabid animal as he blasted at All Might again. "Plan A didn't fucking work!"

"R-right, try for Plan B!" Ghostfreak slapped the dial on his chest, and vanished in a flash of green light. "ECHO ECHO!"

This new form was far from intimidating; in fact, it was almost cute. It looked like a small child in a white onesie, only its head was too large, and it had a glowing green mouth and eyes. It also had what looked like headphones as part of its body, and the Ultimatrix dial on its chest.

All Might gave his signature booming laugh; he seemed genuinely amused by Midoriya's choice of transformation, but nobody fooled themselves into thinking he was overconfident. In this day and age, anyone could be hiding a deadly power behind a cute façade.

"Hey, All Might!" Bakugo landed next to Echo Echo and pointed one gauntlet at the Hero; his other hand reached for the pin on that gauntlet. "I never got a chance to show this off before. These gauntlets aren't for show; they store up my sweat for _really _powerful explosions, and they just got topped off!" He pulled the pin, and the hole on the front of the gauntlet glowed like the sun. "DIE!"

The explosion that followed rocked the entire street; even the students watching the fight felt a slight rumble as the shockwave hit them. When the smoke faded, All Might was still standing, but he'd been pushed back a good ten feet, and he looked a little scorched.

"Okay, that was impressive, young Bakugo," All Might admitted behind the arms that crossed protectively over his face. "It's a good thing no one actually lives here, or there'd be an uptick in tinnitus cases."

"Big deal," Bakugo scoffed. "I've had tinnitus for years."

Echo Echo took his chance; All Might had blocked his line of sight, but it would only last a moment. As he ran forward, copies of him split off, until eight of him jumped onto All Might, grabbing onto his arms and legs.

"Sorry. About this. All Might!" One Echo Echo said in a robotic voice, and then all of them took a deep breath.

The sonic scream that came out was devastating at point-blank range. Any windows still intact after Bakugo's attack couldn't withstand the sound, and even All Might let out a brief yell of pain.

…

Jiro might have still been deaf, but she could figure out what Midoriya was doing, and she threw up her hands. "Okay, I give up. We should just assume he can do everything we can."

Nobody noticed how Midoriya's friends all shared a quick smile; Jiro was more correct than she realized.

…

All Might clenched his jaw and powered through the pain. If Midoriya had thought his attack would defeat him, he was sorely mistaken, and he had just placed himself in a bad position.

"OKLAHOMA SMASH!" All Might twisted around at incredible speeds, briefly creating a tornado around himself that sent Echo Echo and his copies flying through the air. Bakugo tried to rush in with another point-blank explosion, but All Might was quite finished with those; a swift uppercut sent the boy tumbling end over end.

Midoriya was in the middle of transforming again, but with the green light all around, All Might couldn't tell what he was turning into. As he drew back his fist, he hoped it was something durable.

There was a sickening crunch.

…

Uraraka muffled a scream when she saw All Might's arm impale her boyfriend through the chest.

…

"I am _so _glad I turned into this one," Swampfire said as he looked down; that kind of injury would have killed him as all but a few of his aliens.

"So am I, young Midoriya," All Might admitted. "I'm going to pull my arm free now; that smell is awful."

"Actually, it's not just a bad smell." Swampfire wrapped one arm around All Might's, while green gas poured from his body. "It's methane."

All Might had exactly one second to realize what that meant, and then Swampfire snapped his fingers, creating a single spark.

…

For a moment, the students could only gape as Swampfire blew himself up in a massive explosion.

"I'm going to kill him," Uraraka growled.

"Who?" Ashido asked as they watched Swampfire regenerate from scraps. "All Might, or Midori?"

"Yes."

…

"Deku, this isn't working," Bakugo spat as he limped over to Swampfire. "He just tanks everything we throw at him!"

"I know," Swampfire said as they warily backed down another street. "I think it's time for the backup plan."

"Shit, I didn't want to use that one." Bakugo looked at his hands; one gauntlet was cracked, and he didn't want to risk using a super-blast with that hand. "We'll get one chance; close your eyes when I reach back."

"Got it."

"You boys are persistent," All Might said as he stalked towards them. His costume had a few tears, but the only sign of injury was a trickle of blood in the corner of his mouth. "But I think I'm done playing around. It's a good thing Recovery Girl is here!"

All Might _moved_; one second, he was half a block away, and the next, he was right in front of Swampfire. A palm-strike sent him flying into an overturned car with such speed that the vehicle resembled a rough U-shape.

"And now for you, young—" All Might grimaced when he saw the glowing hand in his face. "Oh, not again!"

"STUN GRENADE!"

There was no damage from this move; Bakugo had created it to generate as much light as possible in one big flash. All Might covered his eyes with one hand, even as he used the other to create a gust of wind that sent Bakugo flying through the window of an office building.

Blinded as he was, All Might didn't see the _other _flash of light. As his vision returned, however, he _did_ see the enormous foot as it connected with him.

…

In the observation room, most of the class was completely awestruck. Only Uraraka had gotten a good look at Way Big; everyone else in their part of the entrance exam had been too busy running from the giant robot.

"Holy…" Sero began.

"Crap," Ashido finished.

"Ribbit," Asui added.

…

"That won't stop him for long," Way Big said as he watched All Might rocket into the distance. "We've got one shot at passing now."

Bakugo staggered out of the half-demolished building. "Yeah, yeah; just get it over with, Deku."

Way Big couldn't deny that a small part of him enjoyed picking up Bakugo and hurling him at the exit like he was a baseball. That enjoyment ended when he heard a sonic boom behind him. He had about two seconds to process what was happening.

First, All Might was returning from wherever Way Big had kicked him to. Second, he was flying very, very fast. Third, he wasn't aiming at Way Big, but Bakugo; he was trying to intercept him!

Way Big moved without thinking; he couldn't afford to fail this test, so he placed himself between All Might and Bakugo, who was already using explosions to slow his speed and land safely. Way Big tried to block All Might with his arms, but the Symbol of Peace moved too fast, and slipped through his guard.

"DETROIT…"

_This is going to hurt, _Way Big thought.

"SMASH!"

Incredible force was delivered to Way Big's jaw. He felt the beginnings of pain, and then everything went black.

…

All Might knew he'd messed up, even before throwing that last punch. The weights he wore might have slowed him down, but he could overcome them with enough effort, and that was what happened. Without consciously thinking about it, he had stopped holding back, at least a little.

It was his own fault, and he knew it. Despite everything he'd told himself, that Midoriya was nothing like All For One, he'd somehow confused the two in his mind. It had started after the boy had tried to possess him as Ghostfreak; after that, the remnants of One For All, which had been reduced to mere whispers after passing it on to Mirio, had suddenly screamed at him to destroy this threat. He had done his best to tune the voices out, but after getting kicked halfway across the testing grounds by Way Big, his concentration had fallen apart, and he had unleashed hell.

Time seemed to move in slow motion; All Might watched, helpless, as Way Big spun around in midair twice, and then transformed back to normal an instant before he crashed into the street. Even before All Might landed on the ground, he could see the blood pooling around the boy's head. Then time resumed its normal pace, and All Might moved in a blur, scooping up the boy and rushing him to Recovery Girl's office.

He heard the automated voice announce the students' victory, and while he knew he'd feel proud for them later, he was much more concerned with the here and now.

Recovery Girl and Nezu were going to give him hell for this, he just knew it.

…

Recovery Girl was heading for the door, but she noticed that seven students had already beaten her to it. She was touched by the care they had for their friend, and she would tell them as much… after walloping All Might with her cane, that is.

…

As much as Uraraka wanted to be in the nurse's office to check on Midoriya, Recovery Girl had firmly told them all to wait outside until she had finished working on the boy. Only All Might was allowed to come in, but only because Recovery Girl was absolutely _livid_, and was explaining to a man who could kill her with his pinkie finger exactly why.

Uraraka respected All Might as much as anyone, but she took a sick delight in listening to him getting chewed out.

"A broken jaw, fractured skull, moderate concussion, strained tendons across his entire body—you've hit Villains with less, you numbskull!"

Though hearing how badly her boyfriend was hurt did little to settle Uraraka's nerves.

"I understand, but—ow! Obviously, I went a little overboard—ouch!"

"I'm not finished, you big lummox! I'm still not sure how his Quirk affects his body, but those rapid-fire transformations exhausted him! I can't even heal him completely, because he doesn't have the energy for it! I could barely stabilize him, and now I have to wait for him to wake up and use Swampfire to do the rest of the work! And that smell is going to last for _days_!"

"And I will buy you as many air fresheners as you want," All Might promised. "Just please stop hitting me!"

"One more, and then I'm done." There was a loud _thwack_, which had the Rising Stars collectively wince. "Okay, now you can go. And tell the kids outside that they can come in, as long as they're quiet."

Uraraka leaned away from the door as it opened, and a sheepish All Might stepped into the hallway. Uraraka wasn't sure just what look she was giving him, but it made him take a step back with his hands raised in surrender.

"Young Midoriya will be okay," he said, trying to sound reassuring. "All he has to do is—"

"With all due respect, Sensei, but we heard," Yaoyorozu cut in. "May we go in to see him now?"

All Might stepped aside to let the students hurry in, and then swiftly left. To anyone else, it appeared that he moved so fast because he feared Recovery Girl's wrath, and while that was true, he was also running out of the time he could spend in his muscle form that day. Running from Recovery Girl was just a convenient excuse—or maybe his time limit was an excuse to get away from Recovery Girl. Not even he knew.

In the infirmary, the conscious students all winced when they saw Midoriya's condition. He looked terrible; he was covered in bruises and scrapes, while the left half of his face was horribly swollen. He hardly looked like he'd just passed the exam; then again…

"Midori got knocked out before the test ended," Ashido said worriedly. "Does that mean that he failed?"

"I suppose that it is up to the teachers," Iida offered. "We all saw the fight itself, and the teamwork Izuku and Bakugo showed was impressive. It's possible that Izuku earned enough points to pass."

"And Bakugo only reached the exit because Izuku threw him there," Todoroki pointed out. "That has to count for something."

"Speaking of which, where _is _that jerk?" Ashido asked. "He got smacked around by All Might pretty bad."

"He's resting in the other infirmary," Recovery Girl said. "I had to focus on Midoriya, and Bakugo's injuries weren't as bad as they appeared. Aside from a dislocated arm, which I already healed, he just needs to rest for a few days."

"Ugh…" Everyone turned back to Midoriya as he stirred and slowly sat up. "Ow…"

"Izuku!" Uraraka hugged him tightly. "I saw your fight, and if you ever scare me like that again, I'll… I'll…"

"Kiss him silly, ribbit?" Asui somehow managed to look teasing without changing her expression at all.

Midoriya was too out of it to be embarrassed; he started to lean onto Uraraka's shoulder, but he did so with the injured half of his face. He jolted back, hand going to the bandages.

"Try _not _to do that," Recovery Girl scolded. "If you've got the energy, turn into Swampfire and save yourself some exhaustion from my Quirk."

"Okay," Midoriya muttered, mouth hurting too much to say more. He activated the Ultimatrix, and everyone stepped back to avoid the inevitable stink.

It took almost a full minute of regenerating for Midoriya to heal, but when he turned back to normal, everyone was relieved to see him recovered. Uraraka in particular was happy she could hug him without causing pain.

"So… did we pass?" Midoriya asked.

"Your _team _did," Recovery Girl said. "However, since you were knocked out before the end, it's possible _you_ may not have. You'll find out before you're excused for the day." She turned to the other students. "Now, does anyone else need my help? If not, you should all clear out, since Class 1-B will be starting their exam soon, and I'm sure they'll need me before too long."

As the Rising Stars headed back to the locker rooms to change out of their costumes, Asui and Todoroki looked more and more upset. Midoriya couldn't blame them; they'd all been looking forward to going to the summer camp together. It didn't help his nerves to think that he might not be going, either.

The first thing that happened was that the written exams were handed back, graded and with feedback. To everyone's relief, the entire class had at least passed the written portion. Midoriya was more than happy with his ninety-one percent score, but Ashido had been absolutely ecstatic; not only had she passed, she had gotten more than the bare minimum required.

"All right," Aizawa said as the students gathered around, after comparing scores. "Obviously, some of you failed the practical exam. You'll get notes on what you should have done differently, but the fact remains that you failed. Midoriya." The boy in question jumped a little when Aizawa's gaze landed on him. "You were defeated by your opponent, but your actions caused your partner to escape and pass. That netted you just enough points to pass as well, but you'll have to work hard to prove you won't make the same mistakes twice."

Midoriya nodded automatically, and it took him a moment to realize _that he had passed the test_! He almost beamed, until he remembered that nearly a third of his class—including two of his friends—weren't so lucky. He settled for accepting Uraraka's hand when she slipped it into his.

"Now, for those of you who failed…" Aizawa swept his gaze over the six students in question. "You're still going to the summer camp."

There was a long pause, and then the entire class, even Todoroki and Bakugo, reacted as one.

"WHAT!?"

Aizawa gave them his familiar sadistic grin. "You should have expected that by now. It was another logical deception, one meant to bring out your best. Even though you failed, you'll still be coming along." His smile grew wider, and a little scarier. "But you'll be taking extra lessons to catch up with the rest of your class. It will push your bodies and minds to the breaking point, and beyond—in short, it'll be hell on Earth."

Some of the students who failed hesitated, but only for a moment. This was their chance to not only go to the summer camp, but also redeem themselves, in their eyes, if no one else's.

"All right, you can all go home," Aizawa said. "Get some rest, because you'll need it for what's coming."

As soon as the teachers walked off, Ashido tackled Todoroki in a hug. "You're going to camp with us!" She snagged Asui into the hug a moment later. "We're all going together!"

"I can't believe we fell for another of Aizawa-sensei's deceptions," Yaoyorozu said, though she was unable to keep the smile off her face. "You'd think we'd learn by now."

The rest of their friends joined in on the group hug. "This is going to be so awesome!" Sero shouted. "Even if it's going to be a lot of work, at least you two can still have fun."

Todoroki and Asui shared a determined nod. "We'll work hard, and we won't fail again," Todoroki promised.

Todoroki's stoic image was a little ruined by Ashido hugging him and squishing her cheek against his, but the point stood.

After a few minutes of celebrating, everyone was just about done with class for the day. Midoriya was about to go with his friends to visit Eri before heading home, but someone caught his eye.

"Hey, guys? You go on ahead, there's something I need to do first."

Yaoyorozu frowned. "If you're sure, Izuku. Come on, everyone."

Midoriya waited until they were gone, and then he followed after his teammate. "Bakugo, w-wait up!"

Bakugo looked over his shoulder and glared at him. "What do you want, Deku?"

Midoriya paused; what _did _he want?

"I g-guess I just wanted to th-thank you for following the plan," he said.

Bakugo scoffed. "It wasn't a shitty plan, and I got to blow up All Might. Doesn't mean we're friends now, moron."

For some reason, all the anxiety Midoriya felt at talking to his former tormentor vanished with those words, and a simple truth clicked in his mind. "I know that. I'm not even going to try, because even if you worked with me today, you don't deserve it."

Now it was Bakugo's turn to pause. "The hell does that mean?"

Midoriya frowned. "You don't remember, do you? What you said to me, during our last year in middle school."

"I said a lot of stuff, nerd, I'm not gonna remember every little—"

"You told me to kill myself." Those six words made even Bakugo's eyes widen in surprise; he clearly didn't remember. "You told me that if I wanted a Quirk so bad, I should take a swan dive off the roof and hope I get a Quirk in my next life."

Bakugo said nothing, though it looked like he was trying to find the words.

"Friends don't say that," Midoriya continued. "And it took finding _real _friends to realize just how horrible you were to me. You and I are never going to be friends, and I think I can live with that, but at least now I can be in the same room with you and not be afraid. So, thanks, I guess; at least you taught me not to be scared of you anymore."

Finally, Bakugo scoffed again and turned around. "Whatever. At least you grew a spine, nerd. And I don't need to be your friend, like those worthless extras you hang out with; we're here to be Heroes, not get all buddy-buddy."

"I don't see why we can't have both," Midoriya said, and walked away. "See you at the summer camp. And thanks again."

Bakugo waited until Midoriya was out of earshot before saying anything. "Yeah. You too."

…

Eri didn't really understand what the exams were, or how important they were to the teenagers, but there were two things she did understand. First, everyone was excited to go to this 'summer camp', even if two of them had failed the test. Second, it meant that two weeks would go by before she would see her favorite people.

"C-can I go with you?" she asked pitifully as she sat in Uraraka's lap.

Uraraka felt her heart clench, and she hugged Eri tightly. "I'm sorry, Eri-chan, we'd take you if we could, but…" She looked at her friends helplessly, silently asking for their help.

Thankfully, Yaoyorozu came to the rescue; she sat next to Uraraka and gently ran her fingers through Eri's hair. "Eri-chan, the police and the Heroes still don't know enough about the bad people. For now, you should stay here, where it's safe."

At the mention of the 'bad people', Eri buried her face in Uraraka's shoulder. On her other side, Midoriya took the little girl's hand.

"Don't worry, we'll come back," he promised. "The day we get back from camp, you'll be the first person we see."

Eri blinked away tears and nodded. "Okay."

Ashido smiled widely at her. "And we can always talk to you on the phone, horn-buddy!"

As always, Eri glanced up at her own horn, and then at Ashido's, before nodding. This time, though, the students all swore they saw the corner of Eri's mouth twitch upwards.

"Was that a smile, Eri-chan?" Midoriya asked. "Ochako, do you think that was a smile?"

"I think it was, Deku-kun," Uraraka said teasingly. "Come on, Eri-chan, I'm sure you've got an adorable smile, just waiting to come out!"

Eri's mouth wobbled, and almost became that same nervous smile that Midoriya often had, but it fell short at the last moment.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I just can't do it."

"That's okay," Midoriya said. "You'll smile when you're ready. When you are, save a smile for us, all right?"

Eri nodded. "Okay." She looked up at them. "Will you really call me when you're gone?"

"Of course!" Uraraka hugged her again. "As many times as you want."

That seemed to settle Eri's nerves, and she slid off Uraraka's lap, but only so she could squeeze between her rescuers. "Thank you."

Midoriya and Uraraka looked down at the girl, and then at each other and blushed. They were aware of just how intimate this was, but they didn't dare protest. Eri needed the comfort and security they provided, and they would give it.

They _did _wish their friends would stop taking pictures, though.

…

Inko had been over the moon upon learning that her son had passed the exam, and dinner was almost like a small party. She had bought some extra dessert earlier, either as congratulations or a consolation, but she was glad to know it would be used for the former.

"I'm so proud of you," she said for the tenth time that night. "And I'm sure you'll have a fun time at summer camp."

"It's not just for fun, Mom," Izuku said. "We're going to train really hard."

"I know, but don't let that stop you from enjoying yourself." Inko paused. "Speaking of which, I have a surprise for you."

Ben, who had been enjoying the atmosphere, if not the food, raised an eyebrow. "Did you get him a car? Because I think Yaoyorozu wants to have everyone driven around in a limo."

"Ben!"

"What?" Ben grinned at Izuku. "You know she's got, like, six. And they're all in different colors!"

"No, it's not a car," Inko cut in as she pulled her phone into her hand from across the room, dialed a number, and then set it to speaker mode. "Hold on a second."

The phone rang twice, and then a familiar voice spoke. _"Hello?"_

Izuku's eyes went wide. "D-Dad?"

"_Hey there, kiddo." _Hisashi's voice was a little uncertain, as he always was around the son he barely saw, but it was warm. _"I heard you had a big exam today. How did you do?"_

"I passed!" Izuku normally didn't boast, but he wanted to share as much as possible with his father. "I had to fight All Might during the practical exam, but I still passed!"

"_You had to fight _All Might_!?" _Hisashi now sounded on the verge of a panic attack. _"Are you okay?"_

"W-well, I got knocked out at the end," Izuku admitted, "and I took a few bad hits, but after I woke up, I turned into Swampfire and I was fine."

Izuku and Inko had explained the Ultimatrix to the Midoriya patriarch not long after getting the watch, and Ben had even chimed in a few times. Hisashi had been amazed, and though he had seen some of his son's transformations during the Sports Festival, he had said more than once that he wanted to see them in person.

"_That's good to hear," _Hisashi said. _"I respect All Might as much as anyone else, so I'd hate to yell at him for hurting my son."_

"Dad!"

"Hisashi," Inko said calmly, "wasn't there something you wanted to say to your son?"

"_Oh, right!" _Hisashi chuckled nervously, and Izuku could almost see him scratch the back of his head, something Inko often said he'd passed on to his son. _"Izuku, how would you and your mother like to see me in person?"_

Izuku jumped to his feet. "You're coming home!?"

"_No, sorry, I still don't know when I'll be back. Tell me, do you know what I-Island is?"_

"Of course," Izuku said, though he couldn't help but feel disappointed that his father would still be out of the country. "It's an artificial island that creates some of the most cutting-edge technology on the planet! They mainly focus on Support Items for Heroes, but the founding members are the reason why climate change was fixed, and why even third-world countries have energy reserves. The island's security is supposedly as good as Tartarus Prison, and there's never been a crime committed."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. _"I should have known you'd know that. Anyway, I-Island holds an expo every year to showcase new stuff, introduce upcoming inventors, that sort of thing. They also have a lot of Heroes visit, either because they're interested, or as guest speakers." _Izuku knew this, but he wondered where Hisashi was going with this. _"But there's also a preview of the expo the day before; it's usually for VIPs and celebrities. The reason I'm telling you this is because I won a contest at work, and I got three tickets to the preview, and the expo. I was… I was hoping you two would like to spend the weekend with me on I-Island."_

Izuku glanced at his mother; Inko was waiting for his response, but it was clear that she wanted to go.

"I'm definitely going," Izuku said. "I can't wait to see you, Dad!"

Izuku could almost hear Hisashi's smile. _"That's… that's great to hear. Oh! Before I forget, there's this cool law on the island—people can use their Quirks, and Heroes can wear their costumes, even though they're not on duty. You could talk to your school and see if you could bring your costume with you. I'd… I'd love to see my son as the Hero he's turning into."_

"S-sure, Dad!" Izuku tried and failed to stop the tears from falling.

"We'll see you next week," a teary Inko added. "We love you, Hisashi."

"_I love you both," _Hisashi replied. _"See you soon."_

After a brief, awkward pause, the call ended.

"So… we're going on vacation?" Izuku asked.

Inko smiled. "Yes, sweetie; we're going to see your father!"

"And all the cool things at I-Island!" Izuku grinned. "I can't believe we'll see all the new releases before even the press! I wonder if any Heroes I know will be there, or if…"

As Izuku fell into a storm of mumbles, Ben grinned; his young friend had come a long way since first receiving the Ultimatrix, and it looked like he'd be going even farther.

…

The next day was an easy day for Class 1-A, mainly focusing on reviewing the written portion of the exam. Some of the students, like Kaminari and Aoyama, had barely scraped by; in particular, the former's failure during the practical exam meant that he was now firmly at the bottom of the class. He had practically begged Bakugo of all people to tutor him—he explained that he needed someone who wouldn't pull any punches. To the surprise of everyone, Bakugo accepted, on the condition that Kaminari understand that he would, as Bakugo put it, 'beat the shit out of him' during training if he complained.

After school, Yaoyorozu pulled the other Rising Stars aside to talk about something; whatever it was had clearly left her conflicted, and that had everyone else worried.

"Everyone, have you heard of the I-Island Expo?" Only Uraraka hadn't, but Midoriya quickly filled her in, and then Yaoyorozu continued. "Well, my family owns a great deal of stock in several companies there, so we get tickets to the expo, including the early preview. I wanted to invite all of you with me, but I could only get five tickets to the preview itself." She smiled weakly. "I was still able to get eight tickets to the expo itself! It includes plane and hotel tickets, so none of you would have to worry about much."

Midoriya was very careful not to jump when Ben appeared in front of him—and only him, since no one else reacted to his presence. "Dude, _please _mess with them. It'll be hilarious!"

Midoriya wasn't one for pranks, but in this case, he thought he'd go along with it.

"I don't need one," Todoroki said suddenly. "Endeavor always gets a couple of tickets to the preview, but he never goes. I can bring a guest with me."

He decided not to mention how upset Endeavor was with him that he'd failed the practical exam, but Todoroki had managed to get the tickets because there were rumors flying around that All Might was going to the expo this year. All Might didn't leave Japan very often anymore, which had Endeavor suspicious; his son was given the tickets, in exchange for telling his father if he found out anything. He had no real intention of following through on that task; he'd just say that All Might evaded him, just like he got away from anyone he didn't want to speak to.

Ashido jumped well into his personal space, bouncing up and down. "Me! Me! I wanna go!"

Todoroki looked her dead in the eye. "Okay, sure. It's a date."

Everyone froze and stared at him; Ashido, normally unruffled by anything, turned an interesting shade of lilac, and one could almost see smoke tricking from her ears.

"Date? What? Huh? What?" Her head tilted from side to side, as if trying to physically force Todoroki's words through her brain.

Finally, Todoroki smirked. "It _is _fun to mess with you."

Ashido scowled and smacked his arm. "Not cool!"

Todoroki shrugged. "I mean, if you _want _it to be a date…"

Ashido hesitated for half a second, and then smiled. "Sure, why not? It could be fun." She then looped an arm through his and grinned at the other girls. "I just scored the hottest boy in class!"

"I'd argue with that," Uraraka said, "but half of Shoto's Quirk _is _fire…"

Midoriya raised a hand in halfhearted protest, but then accepted Uraraka's joke. It was made easier when she gave him a quick hug.

"We should still check in with our families to see if we _can _go," Iida reminded them all. "But I do not think I will have a problem getting permission."

"Yeah, my parents are pretty chill about stuff, so I think I can go," Sero said.

"Ribbit, my brother and sister are going to be jealous." Asui smirked in a way that only teasing siblings could. "That's their problem."

"As long as it's safe, I think my parents will give me the okay." Uraraka didn't mention that, since Yaoyorozu was providing the tickets, it would be easy on her finances.

"Well, that still leaves someone as the odd one out," Yaoyorozu said. "What about you, Izuku?"

"Actually, you don't have to worry about me," Midoriya said, channeling as much sadness as he could into his voice, hinting that he couldn't go at all.

The others all drooped. "Oh, Deku-kun…"

Midoriya shrugged. "I mean, I'm already going."

Seven pairs of eyes stared at him, and seven voices spoke as one. "Wait, what!?"

Midoriya explained the conversation he'd had with his father the night before, as well as how he rarely saw the man in person. After he was done, he and his friends finally realized that they would basically all be going on vacation together.

"This is gonna be so cool!" Sero elbowed Iida. "I can't wait to see all that awesome stuff on I-Island!"

"Indeed," Iida said. "Some of the most cutting-edge technology is developed there, and we will be among the first to see the latest work!" He bowed to Yaoyorozu. "Thank you for this opportunity, Momo!"

Yaoyorozu blushed. "It's nothing, really; I'm just glad that I'll be able to spend time with you all."

"Well, most of us, ribbit," Asui said. "If Izuku isn't with his dad, he'll probably be with Ochako."

Uraraka blinked at her. "Wait, what?"

Ashido rolled her eyes. "Girl, you two are gonna be in a beautiful island resort! If you don't have some romantic dinner or something, I'm gonna be so disappointed!"

Now the couple blushed; it hadn't occurred to them that a three-day weekend might be a chance for them to do anything romantic. Now that it had, thoughts rushed through their minds, and they found it difficult to look at the other.

Sero chuckled and fist-bumped Ashido. "Too easy."

"And it never gets old!"

Yaoyorozu rolled her eyes, though she couldn't deny that watching Midoriya and Uraraka get teased was still funny. "Well, now that that's settled, the plane takes off next Friday morning. Oh! Speaking of trips, we should all make sure that we have everything we need for the summer camp—outdoor clothing, insect repellant, that kind of thing."

Ashido's eyes sparkled. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

"I think it does, ribbit." Asui smiled. "I think it means we're going shopping."

The boys of the Rising Stars suddenly felt nervous.

"Should we be worried?" Sero whispered to Todoroki.

"Probably," the other boy said, "but it's too late for Izuku and I."

Sure enough, Ashido still had her arm around his, and Uraraka had a firm hold of her boyfriend.

"Save yourselves!" Ben cried dramatically from inside the Ultimatrix. "Before it's too late!"

It was too late.

…

"Sir, the latest reports you requested."

"Thank you, Doctor; that will be all for today."

All For One waited until his oldest ally left the room before perusing the papers in his hand. Shigaraki would be making contact with the first of—hopefully—many subordinates over the next few days. All For One was content to let his successor do as he pleased, for now; he would only step in if the young man was about to make a terrible mistake.

Seeing as how that appeared unnecessary at the moment, he turned to his own projects. Wolfram had confirmed that his operation would be going underway in a week; All For One wouldn't be upset if the man's admittedly ambitious plan failed, but if it worked, it would certainly brighten his day. There were other, minor updates—Gigantomachia had gone into another brief hibernation, but his location was secure, and those subservient to All For One were still paying their tribute to the ruler of the criminal underworld. In terms of business, all was going well.

That left his personal project. He had little hope of anything changing, but it was something he did almost every day, and watching the UA Sports Festival had renewed his enthusiasm.

Rather than waste precious energy walking, All For One rolled his wheelchair into the elevator and went down to the basement. Technically, the actual basement of the building was where he conducted his Nomu experiments, but he'd had the second basement built long ago. No one, not Kurogiri or Shigaraki, not even the Doctor, knew about this secret.

"The boy has to be connected to you," he said to himself as he wheeled into the small laboratory. "I was almost positive when I saw his different powers, but the symbol on his watch confirms it."

Sitting in a mechanical cradle on the other side of the room was a large machine. It looked like a sphere inside the corners of a box; the angular parts were a dull silver, while the sphere was a dark green. Once, the machine had been completely unblemished, but decades of tinkering, of disassembly and reassembly, had left it covered in welds, scuffs and dents. Several sections remained open, with long cables connecting the innards to banks of computers. Like always, the technology All For One had at his disposal was still insufficient to understanding this mystery.

"You've finally made your move, have you?" he asked, staring intently at the symbol on the front of the sphere. It was a black circle, with a white hourglass shape over it.

"Have you found a new champion, Azmuth?"

**So, life decided to kick me when I was down. My aunt passed away very suddenly a few days before I posted this chapter. This year cannot end fast enough. Sorry about throwing this here at the beginning, but I'm kind of sad.**

**Moving on to the chapter itself.**

**Dun-dun-duuuuuuun!**

**What does All For One know about Azmuth? What does this mean for the MHA world, for Ben Tennyson, or for Midoriya? Who knows? Well, I do, but those are cards I'm keeping close to my chest. You'll just have to be patient.**

**Speaking of being patient… I know, I **_**know**_**, Midoriya didn't go Ultimate in his fight with All Might. It's coming soon, I promise! Still, I hope you enjoyed the fight, because I enjoyed writing it.**

**Now, some of you may be a little (or a lot) confused by what happened when Midoriya tried to possess All Might. First of all, something similar happened in canon when Midoriya was brainwashed by Shinso, so why not do something like that here? Second, if I hadn't, that would have made for a really fast, and boring, fight. Also, the plan was always for Midoriya to lose; he has to every once in a while, and losing to All Might just feels right, since he doesn't have that bond like in canon.**

**And some character growth for both Bakugo and Midoriya! One is willing to work with others (a little, and not graciously), and the other is well on the road to moving past his issues with his former bully.**

**Also, this means that we're headed for the movie next! The first one, anyway. I like that movie. Expect some more divergences from canon that will affect the wider story! And it gives me the chance to introduce Izuku's dad, though he won't be showing up often.**

**Yes, I hinted at AshidoXTodoroki. I like it, so there.**

**As always, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. You can find it on my website (link in my profile), or on Amazon as an eBook or physical copy. If you like space, science fiction, and lots of action, I think you'll enjoy it!**

**If you want to support me without buying my book, consider supporting me on P-atreon (link in my profile). Heck, if you go to the top tier, you'll get a PDF of the book anyway! It's a win for everyone!**

**And now, I'd like to thank my patrons, who make me feel like a winner:**

**Serious Muffins: ****SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, John Collins, Red Bard, Aaron Meek, Shaolin Khalil, killroy225**

**Incredible Muffins: RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844**

**Ultra Muffins: Adam Costello, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Midoriya travels to I-Island to meet with family, spends time with old friends, and makes new friends, but shadowy forces get ready to strike…**

**Stay safe out there!**

**Plus Muffin!**


	25. Stars, Part 1

**BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I WISH I COULD GO TO SCHOOL FOR SUPERHEROES. SADLY, I'D PROBABLY ONLY QUALIFY TO BE THE JANITOR, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO WEAR TIGHTS.**

***pokes head out of foxhole***

**Okay, nobody in my family died between chapters this time. I think we're good.**

**All right, we're starting the movie, people!**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 25

Stars, Part 1

"Hey, All Might!" Togata gently shook the older man by the shoulder to wake him up. "They just announced that we're going to land soon."

All Might blinked away the vestiges of sleep as he registered what his successor said. "Ah, thank you, young Mirio." He noticed that the young man was already in his costume. "Looks like I'd better follow your example."

"Eh, maybe you should wait a little longer." Togata chuckled. "Nejire is still getting changed."

Amajiki, who was reading a book on the other side of the cabin, rolled his eyes. "She's been in there for almost an hour, doing her hair. She'll probably give you about five minutes."

"Oh. Right. Thank you again." All Might was still getting used to Hado and Amajiki knowing about his true form, but Togata had argued long and hard that they were trustworthy, and All Might had finally given in.

Surprisingly, the other two parts of the Big Three were less shocked than he'd expected. They'd stared, blinked like they couldn't believe it, and asked questions, but there was none of the brain-halting shock that Midoriya had shown when they'd spoken on that rooftop over a year ago. When he'd asked why they weren't completely freaking out, they'd just shrugged and said they'd heard stranger things. Even Togata explaining One For All—and if convincing All Might to tell them about his true form had been a challenge, getting him to tell the truth about his Quirk had been even worse—hadn't surprised them too much.

All Might didn't press; after all, the internet was a thing.

Finally, Hado emerged from the bathroom, though she was still brushing her hair as she sat down next to Amajiki; like Togata, they were both in costume. "All yours, All Might!"

"Thank you, young Hado." One of the benefits of being the top Hero in Japan was his own private plane, which came stocked with everything he could ever need for a trip—including a bathroom fit for a five-star hotel. It took him only a minute to get into his costume, though he refrained from transforming just yet.

As he emerged from the bathroom, Hado tried not to laugh. All Might didn't blame her; even he could admit that he looked silly wearing a costume that, for the moment, was about ten sizes too big.

"Just so you three know, I'm going to have to maintain my muscle form constantly," he said, and rubbed a hand over his eyes. "Oh, this is going to be exhausting."

"Don't worry," Togata said cheerfully. "If you need a break, we'll cover for you."

"Thank you, young Mirio, but this trip is supposed to be about _you_." Although All Might did have a personal reason for visiting I-Island. "As the next Symbol of Peace, you'll need connections, and the I-Island Expo is the best place to find them in the international community." He shrugged. "If it means ensuring your future success, I can bear it."

An obnoxiously upbeat ringtone started playing from inside one of Hado's gauntlets; she opened up a compartment and pulled out her phone.

"Hey, hey! Guess who just landed at I-Island!"

…

Izuku nervously tugged at his sleeve as he and his mother stepped off the plane. It felt weird wearing his costume in public without a license; the last time had been during his internship with Hawks, but he didn't have a Hero with him today.

"I've seen pictures of you in your costume before, Izuku, but it looks even better in person!"

It hadn't taken long for Izuku and his friends to get Nezu's permission to bring their costumes to I-Island. While they were going there to have fun, there was also a good chance that they would make connections that would bear fruit in their careers as Heroes. Nezu only asked them to make good decisions before letting them take their costumes.

"Th-thanks, Mom." He waited until they passed through a security station before speaking again. "Dad is supposed to be just past the entrance, right?"

"That's what he said." Inko smiled; she missed her husband every day, and was looking forward to seeing him again, but Izuku was unable to hide his excitement. He looked ready to charge ahead at any moment.

She didn't blame him; the last time Izuku had seen his father in person, his prospects had been bleak, to say the least. With no Quirk, and no realistic way of achieving his dream, Hisashi had left his son while he was slowly sinking into depression. Now, Izuku was well on his way to being a Hero, with a boost in confidence, friends, and even a girlfriend.

As they passed through the entrance to I-Island proper, Inko nearly made herself dizzy trying to look at the technological wonders that stood, walked, or flew around her, while also looking for her husband.

"Mom! There he is!"

Inko followed her son's pointing finger, and her heart skipped a beat. Hisashi looked the same as he did the last time—he was tall, nearly a foot taller than his son, and a bit on the skinny side, with hair just as messy as Izuku's, but black with streaks of early grey. His eyes were narrower than his son's—he had gotten those, along with the tear ducts, from his mother—but those eyes widened at the sight of his family.

"Inko! Izuku!" Hisashi sprinted over to them; he reached Inko first, picking her up and spinning her around. Once again, Inko was happy she'd lost all that weight; two years ago, Hisashi wouldn't have been able to do this. "I'm so glad to see you!"

Inko's laughter was cut off when Hisashi leaned down to kiss her; thanks to his Quirk, his breath was almost uncomfortably warm, but she didn't mind. After a few seconds, the kiss ended, and Hisashi stepped back, but only so that he could look at his son.

For his part, Izuku was a little embarrassed by his parents' public display of affection, but he was also fascinated by it. He knew his parents loved each other, but since his father was away for so long, he hardly ever got to see it.

"Hey, kiddo," Hisashi said, and enveloped Izuku in a hug. "It's so good to see you again."

"Y-yeah." Izuku returned the hug, though tears quickly spilled from his eyes and onto his visor. "I m-missed you, Dad."

Hisashi chuckled. "You and your mom with those tears."

Izuku pulled off his visor and wiped his eyes. "S-sorry."

"Don't apologize!" Hisashi ruffled his son's hair. "Also, that costume is awesome! I love the ears on the hood."

"They're not—" Izuku's protest died when he saw his parents' teasing smiles. "Oh. Mom told you already, didn't she?"

"Of course she did." Hisashi grinned wider and put one arm around Inko's shoulders, and the other around Izuku's. "Come on, let's go explore a bit! There's plenty of time before the preview; I hope you brought some formal wear."

They had, as a matter of fact; the preview was a more formal event, and while Izuku could have worn his costume to it, people who weren't Pro Heroes were encouraged to come in civilian attire. He could wear his costume for the rest of the expo, though.

I-Island was filled with things that blew Izuku's mind; he saw flying cars, solid holograms, and what he swore was an actual lightsaber being used to simultaneously cut and cook a steak. Some things just looked like they went beyond science, and into the realm of magic.

There were also so many different Quirks on display—everything from simple mutations, to elemental powers, to a man who created portals to other locations whenever he sneezed. Back in Japan, people used their Quirks for little things, but it was always on the down-low, in case someone went after them for 'improper Quirk use'. Here, there was no scrutiny, just freedom.

Even his parents were getting in on the fun when they stopped to buy some food. Inko summoned the food to her hands when it was ready, and when Hisashi's wasn't as cooked as he would have liked, he breathed fire on it until it was charred on the edges.

"This is place is great," Hisashi said. "Enjoying yourselves, boys?"

For a moment, Izuku was confused at the plural, but then Ben spoke from inside the Ultimatrix. "I'm so glad I can observe everything at once, because this is so cool!"

It was a little strange hearing Ben act like a teenager and not the wise AI he was, but it also felt natural, like he was a part of the family.

"Hey, Izuku, you just got a message," Ben added. "And I'm only saying so because you probably can't hear your phone over all the noise. I'm not your secretary."

Izuku pulled out his phone, and saw that his friends had started messaging him.

Comet: Deku-kun, did you land? How was your flight?

Tape: Yeah, most of us got here an hour ago. Can't find Shoto or Mina, though.

Book: They probably found a quiet corner to kiss in.

Crayon: ajkaghis NOWERENOT!

Book: Vengeance is mine.

Frog: Looks like Mina can dish it out, but can't take it, ribbit.

Snowflake: We're by the big arena. It's about three blocks away from the entrance.

All Might: Hi, everyone. The flight was fine. I'll try to meet up with you soon, but I'm with my parents

Izuku's phone was suddenly ripped from his hand and flew into Inko's. She glanced at the screen, shared a nod with Hisashi, and then handed it back.

"We can meet up with your friends, honey; we have all weekend to spend with each other, and we'd love to meet the friends you talk about so much."

"And I'd love to meet your girlfriend," Hisashi chimed in.

Izuku blinked, and then slowly turned back to his phone.

All Might: Never mind, we'll be there in a few minutes.

…

"Deku-kun!"

Izuku barely opened his arms in time to catch Uraraka as she flew—literally, with the aid of her Quirk—into his arms. She hugged him tightly, and then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"H-hi, Ochako," he said nervously, expecting his father to react any second now.

Sure enough, he did.

"Boo! Throw a 'chan' in there, make it sound like you care!"

Izuku's hood was down, but he dearly wished it was up, so that he could hide his blush. Uraraka was in costume as well, but had attached her helmet to her belt; she was as red-faced as her boyfriend. Behind her, Sero and Ashido were cackling, and everyone else—also in costume—was trying to stifle their own laughter, and failing miserably.

"Everyone, these are my parents," Izuku said wearily as he gestured to said parents. "Mom, Dad, these are my friends."

"And girlfriend," Hisashi said with a grin at Uraraka. "Please tell me you all have been teasing him."

Ashido smiled back. "Even before they started dating!"

Hisashi patted his son on the back. "You have good friends, Izuku."

Uraraka glared at the other Rising Stars. "We're about to have a few less friends, because I'm about to send them into the sun."

Asui tilted her head. "That'll be hard, since you're still holding onto Izuku, ribbit."

Everyone laughed, even Izuku, as Uraraka chased Asui around the table they'd been sitting at, until Asui hopped onto a nearby tree, out of Uraraka's reach. She didn't come down until Uraraka promised not to chase her anymore, but only because Sero promised to restrain Asui with his tape if she teased further.

Ashido waggled her eyebrows at him. "Kinky."

At that point, everyone just fell apart laughing; even Todoroki couldn't stop smiling, though he flicked Ashido's ear for her comment.

Yaoyorozu wiped away a tear, and then looked up at the arena. "What is this place, anyway?"

"It's for showing off combat-related Quirks," Todoroki answered. "We can go in and fight robots; the goal is to destroy them as quickly as possible."

Iida looked intrigued. "That could be interesting. Does anyone want to give it a try?"

Seven hands rose in answer.

Hisashi put an arm around his wife's shoulders. "Looks like we'll be able to see what Izuku can do with our own eyes."

…

Like their juniors, the Big Three were just as impressed with I-Island; Togata in particular looked like he wanted to examine everything, and probably would have, if not for All Might keeping a firm grip on his shoulder. He could have used Permeation to easily escape, but it was the principle of the matter.

"This place is amazing!" Hado squealed as she floated overhead. "I've never been to a place where I can fly as much as I want! Hey, Tamaki, you should join me up here!"

Amajiki hesitated, but after an encouraging nod from Togata, he reached into one of his pouches and ate some chicken. His arms turned into wings a moment later, and he joined Hado in the air; she giggled and poked him, and he couldn't retaliate, since he didn't have arms.

All Might gave his signature booming laugh, made all the more impressive in his muscle form. It did his heart good to see people, especially students he genuinely liked, enjoying themselves so much.

The joy died in the face of one of his enduring fears. "Students, I hope you don't mind if I zip ahead for a bit. I love my fans, but I'd rather avoid getting mobbed this early in the day. I'll meet you in the courtyard up ahead."

Togata eyed the distance between him and where All Might was pointing. "Race you there, guys!"

He sank into the ground and vanished; All Might moved at his typical blinding speed, leaving only a strong gust of wind to mark his passing.

"That's so not fair!" Hado whined. "They've got super-speed!"

"We never said we'd race them back," Amajiki pointed out.

"I guess you're right," Hado said, and then flew higher. "Come on, let's go flying!"

Amajiki followed, but he kept an eye on All Might—and Togata, when he popped out of the ground. He watched as the two shared words, but he was too far away to hear what they were saying; then he saw someone, a blonde-haired girl, hop over to them on what looked like a pogo-stick. At first, he thought it was another All Might fan, but then he saw the man give her a big hug.

"Nejire, who is that?"

Amajiki didn't have hands to point with, but Hado followed his gaze. "I don't know, but All Might does. Come on, let's go!"

Amajiki sighed to himself as he followed after her. "And I was hoping… forget it."

The girl turned out to be very pretty, with long, wavy hair and glasses. She wore white pants and a white shirt, over which she had a red vest and a plaid bowtie. She had just finished giving All Might a hug, and was now talking to Togata.

"I love that cape," she said in English. "Does it ever get in the way when it's windy?"

"Sometimes," Togata admitted, also in English, and then saw Amajiki and Hado land. "Oh, these are my friends from school—Amajiki Tamaki, and Hado Nejire. Oh, wait, I guess you'd say their names the other way around, right?"

The girl smiled and waved him off. "It's fine; actually, I can speak fluent Japanese, if that makes you more comfortable."

"That's not a problem," Hado said in English. "I never get to talk to anyone in a different language outside of classes, so this is cool!"

Amajiki mumbled something that might have been a greeting; there were no walls to face, so he hid behind All Might.

"Sorry, I should introduce myself." The girl smiled at them. "My name is Melissa Shield; Uncle Might didn't say he was bringing guests, but it's nice to meet you."

Even Togata was stumped for a second. "_Uncle _Might?"

All Might laughed again. "Melissa is the daughter of one of my dearest friends; she's called me her uncle since as long as I can remember." He paused. "Say, Melissa, I was hoping to surprise your father. Does he still spend this time of day in his lab?"

Melissa laughed right back. "You know him too well, Uncle Might. If you want to surprise him, I could show these three around."

All Might's smile somehow became even brighter. "Your kindness knows no bounds! Thank you very much!" He headed off towards several official-looking buildings. "I'll catch up with you this evening for the preview!"

The Big Three knew he would probably rest, in order to conserve his time limit, but they didn't say anything; All Might had told them that no one on I-Island knew his secret, so they assumed that also meant Melissa.

"He seems as energetic as ever," Melissa commented. "It's like he can never stay still."

Togata chuckled. "Probably a side-effect of always running around saving people."

"You're probably right. Still, I hope he enjoys the weekend with Papa; those two haven't seen each other in years." She gestured for them to follow her, and then continued talking. "So, you three are in your third year of Hero training, right? That's so cool! What are your Quirks, and what kind of Support Items do you use?"

The Big Three idly wondered if they should introduce Melissa to Midoriya, or keep them from ever meeting; they were too alike in their enthusiasm for Heroes.

They answered her questions as best they could, and then the topics drifted from Hero-related things, to regular school life, to the mundane.

"How do you get your hair so straight?" Melissa asked Hado. "Mine is always wavy, no matter what I do!"

"Brushing for hours on end, for one thing," Amajiki muttered.

Hado heard him and stuck her tongue out, but before she could say anything, they felt a sharp tremor in the ground. Ahead of them, in what looked like an arena, a massive glacier rose up, freezing half the structure.

"That reminds me," Togata said to Melissa. "Some of our juniors from UA came here for the expo, and I think we just found them."

They hurried over to the arena and arrived in time to see Todoroki melting off the thin layer of frost that covered his right side. Most of the audience was cheering for his performance, but his friends made the most noise.

"That was great, Shoto!" Ashido called out and waved as he walked closer. Todoroki waved halfheartedly back with a little smile for her.

"Aw, that's so cute," Uraraka teased, and Ashido's pink face went purple.

"How long are you gonna do that?" she whined.

"How long did you tease me and Deku?" Uraraka asked back.

"You all look like you're having fun," Togata cut in, his head poking out through the bleachers. His sudden arrival made all of them—younger students and several nearby adults—jump in surprise.

"Hello, Mirio!" Iida recovered first and bowed. "It is good to see that you arrived safely. Where are Tamaki and Nejire?"

Togata's arm passed through the seat, and then curved to point down. "Right here. Are you guys fighting robots? Cool!"

Asui nodded. "Izuku, you're up next, ribbit."

"Oh, right!" Midoriya smiled at two of the adults—who, now that Togata paid attention, looked too similar to him to not be related—and then waved at the Big Three. "I'll be back in a minute!"

Sero laughed. "Yeah, Shoto finished his round in seven seconds. Anyone think Izuku will do better?"

Uraraka grinned and held up her hand. Togata smiled back and gave her a high-five—while taking care not to touch all of her fingers—as he pulled himself all the way into a seat. Amajiki and Nejire flew up to join them, the latter carrying Melissa.

Yaoyorozu immediately looked embarrassed. "Oh, I'm sorry! We didn't know you had someone else with you."

Melissa just smiled. "It's fine; you all looked like you were having fun, and I didn't want to cut in."

Ashido put an arm around the older girl's shoulders. "Hey, the more the merrier! Come on, I'll introduce you to everyone while we wait for Midori."

Quick introductions were made, including Midoriya's parents—and apparently, this had been the first time Izuku had seen his father in over two years, which was news to Togata—before there was a sharp note of feedback on the speakers.

"_Up next, another first-year student from UA High, it's Izuku Midoriya!"_

Togata had to remember that I-Island did most things in English, which was why they introduced Midoriya's name differently, but he set that aside to watch with interest as the younger boy walked into the arena.

"I like the ears on his hood," Melissa commented, which immediately set off laughter from almost everyone else. "What?"

Before anyone could explain, a buzzer sounded, and robots began to climb out of hatches scattered across the arena, which had several different types of terrain packed together. The robots themselves were of several designs, ranging from thin and gangly to squat and armored.

In a flash of green light, Midoriya transformed into Lodestar, and held up his pincer-like hands. There was a ripple in the air as he unleashed his magnetic powers, and then the robots all started to rise; a moment later, all the screws and bolts holding them together popped out, and they fell to the ground in pieces.

"_Amazing!" _the announcer said. _"That was four seconds! A new record!"_

Midoriya turned back to normal and waved shyly at the roaring crowd. More than a few probably recognized him from watching the Sports Festival, but he hadn't used Lodestar then, so it was a treat for everyone.

"Nice job, Deku-kun!" Uraraka said as he rejoined them, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Th-thanks," Midoriya said through his blush.

Melissa gently poked Togata to get his attention. "That is so cute. Are those two an item?"

Togata grinned like a proud older brother. "Oh, yeah, they just didn't know it until a little while ago."

"That's adorable."

"Welcome to the club," Ashido said. "Its members include ninety-nine percent of the planet."

Melissa laughed, and then waved at Midoriya. "Hi, there! I'm Melissa Shield. How are you liking the island so far? And that watch of yours is so cool! It's a Support Item to help you use your Quirk, right? Who built it?"

"It's great!" As his young friend gave Melissa his cover story for the Ultimatrix, Togata noticed that Midoriya had no problem switching to English, whereas everyone else took a second; he then remembered that the Ultimatrix also acted as a real-time translator. "Wait, your name is Shield?"

Melissa's smile turned patient, as if she waiting for something. "Uh-huh."

"Would you happen to be related to a David Shield?"

"He's my father."

Midoriya's jaw dropped, but everyone else looked confused. "No way!" He saw the looks everyone was giving him. "David Shield was practically All Might's unofficial Sidekick during his stay in America! He also revolutionized Support Items, and basically rebuilt the entire industry from the ground up!"

No one was surprised that Midoriya knew that, but they were surprised that they were sitting next to someone whose father was not only a big deal, but he was a Big Deal.

Melissa's good cheer remained, but she sighed; clearly, she was used to people fawning over her father's achievements. "Yeah, he invented half the technology on the island, including what helps it move around; we basically own about a third of everything here."

Asui blinked, and then turned to Yaoyorozu. "Ribbit, I think we finally met someone richer than you, Yaomomo."

Yaoyorozu sniffed and pretended to be offended. "I don't know about that. Who do you think owns one of the other thirds?"

Everyone shared a brief laugh, and then Melissa turned back to the arena. "Hey, I think they're replacing the robots. After any of you go next, why don't I show you around before the preview?"

Midoriya shared a look with his friends and family, and then answered for all of them. "Sure!"

…

Between All Might and David Shield, it was impossible to tell who was more surprised when the former burst in on the latter. For All Might, he was shocked at just how tired his friend looked; even in his skinny form, at least he still looked like he slept. For David, it was because the person he wanted to see the most and least had suddenly showed up on his doorstep.

"Dave!" All Might rushed in and grabbed his friend in a bear hug—though not hard enough to break him. "It's been too long, old buddy!"

David broke out of his shock and laughed. "Toshi, it's good to see you!" As befitting a man of his intelligence, it only took him a moment to figure out what was going on. "Melissa asked you to come, didn't she?"

All Might put him down and laughed. Other than the tiredness, David hadn't changed at all since the last time he'd seen him; he was tall and thin, with short brown hair and a trim beard. His grey pants and blue shirt looked like they could use a good ironing, and his glasses only made the bags under his eyes worse.

"That she did," All Might said. "She mentioned that you were working too hard, and I believe her."

David grimaced. "Yeah, I've been caught up in a new project for the last few weeks, and I, uh… forgot to sleep for a while."

"I wish I could scold you for working too hard, but I'd be a hypocrite." All Might coughed into his hand, and David's eyes went wide when he saw blood.

"Toshi, what—"

"Darn it, I was hoping that wouldn't happen for a while." All Might shrugged, and then reverted to his skinny form in a puff of steam. "Uh… surprise?"

David stared at him for a long moment. "I think we need to have a talk."

…

After about an hour of walking, Izuku's parents decided to go off on their own; they wanted their son to spend time with his friends, and he didn't need to see them kissing for hours on end. Not long after they left, Izuku decided to ask their guide a few questions.

"So, Melissa, are you a student here?"

"Yeah, I'm in my third year of high school," she said. "Families of active high-level employees can't actually travel, so they built a school here. I'm working to become a designer for Support Items, like my dad."

"With all the enthusiasm you've shown for Heroes, I'm surprised you didn't try to become one yourself," Togata said.

"Well, I still couldn't leave the island, even if I was a Hero," Melissa replied. "Besides, I'm actually Quirkless."

Midoriya was behind Melissa, so she didn't see him trip when he heard that. He hadn't met many other Quirkless people before, and none of them had ever sounded so _happy_. Had she never been picked on or discriminated against because she didn't have any powers? Or maybe she had, but was too strong to let it bother her. Either way, he couldn't help but feel a little jealous; he would have given much just to have people stop harassing him as a child.

Uraraka must have seen some of what he was feeling, because she leaned into him and gave him a one-armed hug. He returned it, and reminded himself that he might have had a miserable past, but his present was full of light.

"Hey, can I ask something?" Melissa stopped to let a man with a gigantification Quirk cross the street in front of her. "Do any of you have classes as UA with Uncle Might?"

"He's one of the teachers for Heroics," Sero said.

"But only for first-years, ribbit," Asui added. "I don't know if he actually has a teaching license."

"Huh." Melissa turned to the Big Three. "How come you arrived with him, then? Aren't you third-years?"

That was something the Rising Stars had been wondering, but never had the chance to ask.

"Well, actually…" Togata shrugged. "All Might kind of took me under his wing. The strength and speed parts of my Quirk are like his, so he decided to make me his protégé. He wanted to take me to I-Island, and I convinced him to take Tamaki and Nejire."

That was believable enough for Melissa; Togata had gone a round in the arena, and everyone had gotten a good look at his power. He had almost matched Midoriya's time, but was slower by just half a second.

"Speaking of All Might, I think he's still scared of you, Ochako," Ashido teased.

Melissa frowned in confusion as she turned to Uraraka. "Why is—"

Uraraka's smile was a little scary as she pulled Midoriya closer to her. "He broke my boyfriend's jaw last week."

"I-it was during a t-test, and it w-was an accident!" Midoriya protested.

"They're protective of each other," Todoroki said blandly. "It's cute."

The couple sputtered and went red-faced, and everyone else laughed.

…

There was no laughter in David's lab. In fact, the man was as far from laughing as he could get.

"Toshi, how did this happen?" he demanded as he looked over All Might's chart. "How are your Quirk levels going down?"

All Might stepped out of the medical pod David had used to check him and put his costume back on. "I picked a fight with a Villain that was a little too much for me. You can probably tell that my organs are pretty messed up; transplants wouldn't take, and no one could help me."

"That doesn't explain why your Quirk is weaker, just why you can't maintain it for as long." David sank in his chair and rubbed a hand over his face. "How many people know about this?"

"Not many." All Might sat in another chair. "I've already made… arrangements. There will be another Symbol of Peace, once I'm forced to retire."

David shook his head. "Who could replace you, Toshinori? You're the reason crime is down to six percent in Japan; most other countries are lucky if their crime levels are down to twenty percent. Heroes in other countries just can't do what you do."

That wasn't fair to other nations, or their Heroes, All Might knew. Those percentages were also a little misleading; technically, they only represented Villain activity, not crime in general. If Japan released the real numbers, its people would find that crime was about the same worldwide. As the Symbol of Peace in Japan, All Might had just driven the criminals into the shadows. It gave people hope, and a sense of security, but the danger was still there.

"Don't worry, Dave," he said. "The Hero who will replace me will not only be stronger, but he'll be an even brighter symbol than I ever was."

"I'll… take your word for it, Toshi."

All Might stood up and switched to his muscle form. "Like I said, don't worry about it, at least for tonight. Let's enjoy the preview, and have a little fun! You can meet some of my students from UA! I know some of them who would love to pick your brain."

David managed a weak smile. "Sure thing, Toshi. I'll see you tonight; I just want to go over some numbers before I get a little rest."

"You do that, old pal." All Might gave him a dazzling smile. "I think I'll do the same in my hotel room. Later!"

After his friend was gone, David pulled out his phone and stared at it. At first, when All Might had arrived, he had begun to reconsider his course of action; after all, Toshinori had seemed as vibrant and powerful as ever. Maybe his analysis of All Might's statistics over the last few years had been for nothing—until he had transformed into that skinny husk of a man. Things were worse than he thought; if anything, his resolve to see this through was strengthened.

He could have called things off with a single text message. Instead, he put the phone back in his pocket. Toshinori would never approve of this, and neither would Melissa, but that was why it had to go perfectly; that way, no one would ever know the truth.

"I just have to get through tonight," he whispered. "Then, I can finally rest."

…

That evening, the girls of the Rising Stars were all in Yaoyorozu's room, getting ready for the preview. Three of them were obviously excited, but Uraraka's reluctance took them by surprise; while the others were putting on their dresses, she had been standing awkwardly in the corner.

"Ochako, what's the matter?" Ashido asked. "I thought you were looking forward to this! Melissa even said there would be dancing later on; you told Midori to save a dance for you!"

"Yeah, it's just…" Uraraka grimaced and held up her 'formal' wear. "This is… all I could afford."

Asui studied it. "Did you use parts of your school uniform, ribbit?"

Uraraka nodded, shamefaced. "Everything I own is casual, or practical. I never went to anything fancy, so…"

Yaoyorozu walked up to her and gave her a quick hug. "How about I make something for you?"

"R-really?" Uraraka's eyes glistened with unshed tears, and it broke her friends' hearts.

"Absolutely, and we won't say anything if you don't want us to." Yaoyorozu created a measuring tape and held it up to Uraraka. "Just let me get your measurements, and I'll make you something amazing!"

…

The preview was held in the central tower of the island; it was a massive structure, which could be seen from any other location. Not only did it hold the main attractions for the expo, it also housed everything necessary for administration over the island itself, and as the location for the preview, it was decorated with colorful lights and banners.

Izuku swallowed nervously as he and his parents entered the building. He was wearing green suit pants and a jacket, with a pale-yellow shirt and a red tie. His father wore something similar, but he had forgone the tie; he wore one almost every day for work, so he took every opportunity to not have one if he could help it. Inko had a beautiful sky-blue dress, with a white sash around her waist, which fluttered in the night breeze.

"Hey, kiddo, I think I see one of your friends," Hisashi said, gesturing with his chin towards the stairs leading to the second story. "We'll save you guys a good spot, okay?"

"Are you sure, Dad?"

Inko smiled at her son. "Don't worry, sweetie; go have fun with your friends."

Izuku nodded, and then headed off, leaving his parents alone. Hisashi leaned in and stole a quick kiss from Inko.

"I hope you'll save a dance for me," he said.

Inko smiled up at him. "Who else would I dance with?"

…

"Ah, Izuku!" Iida jogged over to meet Midoriya halfway. "You were almost late! You should know to be punctual to events such as this!"

Iida's dark-blue suit was immaculate, as expected; Midoriya wouldn't have been surprised if he had ironed it only a few minutes before arriving here.

"S-sorry," Midoriya said. "My parents wanted to take the scenic route."

Iida continued to chop at the air, but before he could lecture further, Sero walked up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. Sero's own suit was a dark-grey, with a blue shirt and white tie. "Dude, chill; it's a party."

Midoriya was thankful for the distraction; nobody liked it when Iida made a scene, especially when it was about them. "Hey, Shoto!"

The other boy nodded as he adjusted his tie; his suit was a lighter grey than Sero's, with a silver shirt. He also looked slightly uncomfortable, which Midoriya understood; he could count the times he'd needed formal wear on one hand.

"Where are the girls?" Todoroki asked. "We might get stuck behind the crowds."

Sero chuckled. "I don't think they'll take _that _long to get ready. Besides, the preview doesn't start for another half an hour."

"And my parents said they'd find a good spot for us," Midoriya added.

"Hey, guys!" Ashido's voice made them turn. "Were you waiting for us? How sweet!"

The boys didn't immediately respond; they were teenagers, and four pretty girls in pretty outfits had just showed up, so they were a little distracted.

Ashido wore a formfitting bright-green dress that hung from one shoulder, and had a long slit up the opposite side. Yaoyorozu wore a more modest champagne-colored dress, but it was still elegant; she also had a beautiful necklace. Asui's yellow dress wasn't extravagant, but it was still pretty; her only sign of nerves was that she kept smoothing it out.

The pattern of Uraraka's outfit reminded Midoriya of her costume; it was a mix of pink, and white instead of black, with exposed shoulders and black stockings. She also had a pink choker and a flower in her hair, which she kept playing with as she walked up to her boyfriend.

"H-hi, Deku-kun," she said shyly. "You look really handsome."

Midoriya just stared at her; his mouth moved, but no words came out.

"I think you broke him, ribbit." Asui glanced at the other boys. "Actually, I think they're _all _broken."

Ashido grinned and walked up to Todoroki; she put her hands on his shoulders and leaned in close. "Like what you see, Shoto?"

For possibly the first time in his life, Todoroki actually looked flustered. "I, uh—"

Ashido outright cackled. "I told you I'd get my revenge!"

Iida regained his composure first and bowed, though he remained red-faced. "You all look amazing!"

"Y-yeah." Midoriya nodded. "You look b-beautiful."

The words might have been for all of them, but his eyes remained locked on Uraraka, who blushed and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Now all we need to do is figure out how to get Ben a suit, and we'll be ready for a party," Ashido said.

"Don't worry about me," Ben said as he appeared in front of them. "I'm my own tailor."

Sero blinked at him. "Seriously? A freaking tux?"

Ben pretended to adjust his cuffs. "The name's Ben—Holo-Ben."

"Too bad you have to stay hidden, ribbit," Asui said. "You kind of make it work."

A martini appeared in Ben's hand, and he slowly swirled it in the glass. "Yeah, I know." His eyes went wide, and then he vanished. "Incoming."

"There you all are!" Melissa, wearing a white skirt and low-cut blue top, hurried over to them. Her glasses were gone, and she'd tied back her hair. "Mirio asked me to find you guys before the preview started."

"Where is he, anyway?" Sero asked.

"He's down there, with Uncle Might," she said, waving towards a large window, which they looked through. Sure enough, they saw him next to All Might; unlike the younger students, he was in costume. "I'm not sure about Tamaki and Nejire, though. They kind of wandered off."

"Will they be in trouble?" Yaoyorozu asked, slightly worried.

Melissa smiled. "It'll be fine. If they go somewhere they shouldn't, one of the security robots will point them in the right direction."

"How come Mirio gets to be in costume?" Sero looked a little disgruntled. "It'll be so easy for him to make connections that way; people will have to ask what we're even doing here."

Ashido grinned. "Hey, how often will we get a chance to look this good? Enjoy the moment."

…

"I have to say, young Mirio, you're handling this better than I did at your age," All Might said under his breath as he smiled at the small crowd waiting for the preview to start.

His successor grinned at him. "Honestly, this is all pretty intimidating. A lot of these people have such high expectations just because I'm standing next to you. It's gonna get a lot worse when you make the big announcement."

"Sadly, that's the price of being the Symbol of Peace." All Might paused to snag an appetizer that looked ridiculously small in his big hands. "Everyone expects you to be Atlas—to hold the world on your shoulders, and never shrug."

Togata looked thoughtful at that. "No offense, All Might, but that sounds almost impossible… and kind of lonely, since Atlas hardly ever even spoke to anyone while he held up the world."

All Might blinked, surprised at Togata's interpretation of his metaphor. He wasn't wrong, though; All Might could count the number of people he completely trusted, to get to know the real him, on his hands, and still have fingers left over. For all that his fans would swarm him if he so much as stepped outside in his muscle form, he never really gave himself time for a social life.

Togata was right; it _was _lonely as the pillar that held up society, but All Might didn't see any other option. Then again, maybe Togata would find a path that better suited him as the future top Hero of Japan.

Then he saw David, wearing a neatly-pressed suit, waving him towards the stage, and he pushed those thoughts aside for later. Now, he had to give a brief speech to the guests, but he nearly froze when he caught sight of a particular couple; he wouldn't have given them a second thought, but the man looked like a much taller version of Midoriya, and the woman had the boy's eyes. Thanks to Togata, he'd known that Midoriya was coming to I-Island, but he'd apparently brought his parents along.

Years of maintaining a façade allowed him to keep walking without breaking out in a cold sweat, but All Might sincerely hoped that Midoriya's parents didn't know that he'd broken their son's jaw recently.

…

"Dang it, the speech is starting!" Sero pointed to the crowd below. "We're gonna miss it!"

"Um, guys?" Ashido pointed at the doorway behind them, now blocked by a thick sheet of metal. "I think the door's locked."

Melissa frowned. "That… shouldn't happen. The only reason the doors would lock is in preparation for a lockdown or at closing hours—but there's supposed to be an announcement before that."

Ashido tried pulling at the thin seam in the middle of the door, but it didn't budge. "Well, maybe there's a glitch?"

"No, there are too many backups for that to happen." Melissa bit her lip as she thought. "There's something else going on."

…

"Hello, everyone!" All Might said as he reached the microphone. "It's great to be here! Maybe it's my imagination, but I-Island is even more incredible than the last time I was here! Then again, the steam engine was a new invention back then."

A few people laughed at his joke about his age—which was better than normal, since his jokes tended to be among the dad-variety.

"And since I'm so old, I thought I'd ask a younger, up-and-coming Hero to help me get around," All Might continued, and waved up Togata. "He may still be a student at my alma mater, but I promise, the whole world will know how amazing he is soon enough. Give it up for Lemillion!"

The crowd applauded as Togata made his way to the stage. Some of the applause was just polite, but All Might's enthusiasm had a few people clapping their hands with more vigor. To All Might's disappointment, David was among the former; then again, he probably just needed time to accept that All Might even needed a successor. He knew for a fact that most people in Japan would be the same.

Togata smiled, as confident as ever, though All Might was positive the boy was nervous. He was just good at hiding it behind a smile.

"Hi, everyone! It's such an honor to be here!" Togata would have said more, but he noticed that the many television screens in the room had changed. Instead of showing generic images of the island, the screens had turned red, with 'WARNING' flashing across.

Everyone, Hero and civilian alike, had less than two seconds to wonder what was going on, and then the island's security system turned against them. Nozzles appeared under the feet of every Hero, and spat out what looked like strands of glowing blue tape. The material, created by David Shield himself as a capture tool, was normally as soft as silk, but when electrically charged, it became a hundred times stronger than steel. Of the Heroes, only All Might and Togata remained free; the former was able to dodge it with his superhuman reflexes and speed, while the other simply let the tape pass harmlessly through him.

The only two free Heroes readied themselves for battle as the doors opened, and armed gunmen charged in. They wore stylized military uniforms, and their faces were concealed by black ski masks, decorated with a white X across the front.

"I'd settle down, if I were you," another man said as he followed behind his men. He wore a similar uniform to the others, but with a long white coat, and a mask that looked like it was made of twisted strips of metal, and his mouth had a semitransparent cloth over it. In one hand, he carried a pistol, which he casually aimed at a frightened civilian.

A civilian, All Might realized, who was also Midoriya's mother.

"Just so you know," the man said conversationally, "we've already taken over the island's security systems, and have deployed its robots everywhere. Right now, innocent people all over are being 'escorted' to a safe location, but if you try anything, those robots are going to suddenly see those people as enemy combatants. I imagine that thousands of people will die before you manage to get the situation under control."

Sure enough, the television screens showed shots of the stubby I-Island robots herding groups of frightened civilians. The unknowing hostages numbered in the hundreds, probably even more.

"What do you want, Villain?" All Might growled, unable to maintain his smile in the face of such cowardly tactics.

"You can call me Wolfram. As for what I want? Nothing from you, other than to stay still and let yourself be tied up for a while." The two men locked eyes for what seemed like an eternity, until All Might finally nodded and stood down. Togata reluctantly followed suit, and they were soon captured. "Now, who here has high enough clearance to get to the vault?"

_So that's what this is about, _All Might thought. _This is a robbery! They're after the security vault, where the scientists keep all their most advanced inventions!_

Wolfram strode through the crowd, looking each civilian in the eyes, as if searching for something. Finally, a portly, middle-aged man in an expensive suit flinched, and Wolfram grinned.

"I'm guessing you have that kind of clearance?"

"Leave him alone!" David stepped in front of the other man. "Sam is my assistant; I'm the one you want."

Wolfram sneered. "Even better. We'll take you both."

…

It was hard to tell who struggled harder—Midoriya, or Melissa. The latter was held back by Yaoyorozu and Ashido, and Sero was forced to put tape over her mouth to keep her from screaming. Midoriya had to practically be wrestled to the floor by Todoroki and Iida, and Uraraka kept a close eye on the Ultimatrix, in case he tried to go for it.

Their reactions were understandable; after all, the same man who had just kidnapped Melissa's father had also pointed a gun at Midoriya's mother.

"Let me go!" Midoriya snapped. "I have to help them!"

"Izuku, calm down!" Uraraka forced him to look at her. "There are guys with guns down there! If someone tries something, someone could get shot; that's why All Might and Mirio didn't fight."

Her words got through to both Midoriya and Melissa, and they stopped struggling. Midoriya leaned against the far wall, arms hugging his legs to his chest; after Melissa peeled the tape off her mouth, she did the same next to him.

"We should call the authorities," Iida said. "I'm sure there are more Heroes on the island who could help."

Todoroki pulled out his phone, but shook his head. "No service. I bet the Villains thought someone might do this, and took precautions."

Melissa wiped her eyes with a trembling hand. "If… if they have control over the security systems, then they could shut off all internal communications. Actually, they could basically control the entire island!"

Yaoyorozu bit her lip. "Is there anything that could be done?"

"Maybe?" Melissa shrugged helplessly. "Everything is controlled from the security center at the top floor, but it could be switched back."

Midoriya froze, and then slowly turned to her. "Could you fix this?"

"I mean, yes? I'd have to get into the security center, though."

"And the Villains have someone there already, and probably more between here and there," Midoriya finished, and then looked at his friends. "We have to do something."

"Izuku, are you suggesting that we fight these Villains ourselves?" Iida crossed his arms, as serious as anyone had ever seen him. "We don't have licenses, and this is extremely dangerous!"

"And we have no idea what these guys will do if we _don't _act," Midoriya argued. "Instead of letting the hostages go after they get what they want, they could…" his voice shook, and he glanced in the direction of his parents. "They could _kill _the hostages, so there aren't witnesses."

"He's right," Todoroki said. "Right now, we're the only ones in the building who _can _do anything."

"But all we have to do is free the Heroes," Midoriya went on. "Once that's done, they can do the rest. We can try to get this done with as little fighting as possible."

"See, Midori has a plan!" Ashido tried to look as upbeat as possible. "I'm in!"

"So am I," Uraraka said.

"Me too," Sero added.

"Ribbit."

Sero chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes."

"We _can _do this, Tenya," Yaoyorozu said. "Like Izuku said, we just need to restore the security, and the Heroes can do the rest."

Iida frowned, but eventually nodded. "Very well, I will go along with this, on the condition that we retreat if things become too dangerous."

Everyone agreed; if they drew too much attention to themselves, it could endanger the hostages.

Midoriya turned to Melissa. "Are you in?"

The girl nodded, expression fierce. "This will help save my father! Of course I'm in!"

"We still have one problem, ribbit," Asui said. "The Heroes could be just as surprised if they're suddenly free. They need to know if it's safe to fight."

"I could turn into Ghostfreak," Midoriya offered, already activating the Ultimatrix. "I can whisper to Mirio and All Might."

"Wait!" Yaoyorozu grabbed his hand before he touched the dial. "The Villains could see the light when you transform. Maybe you should move away from the window."

"Oh. Right." Midoriya was a little embarrassed; he had never considered that someone could be alerted before he even did anything.

After moving down the hallway, he turned into Ghostfreak, and phased through the floor. "I'll be right back!"

…

Look for a new angle. Never stop searching for the most optimal solution to a problem. Always try to gain every advantage over an opponent. Those were three of Sir Nighteye's lessons that stuck with Togata more than others. Even though he didn't dare use his Quirk to escape his bonds, he still looked around as much as possible; he took mental notes of each guard, estimating how fast he could incapacitate them before they could endanger a life. Unfortunately, they were spread too far—he was positive he could defeat six of them in time, but after that, shots would get fired, and someone could die.

_What we need is for both All Might and I to get free, _he thought. _Even in his weakened state, and even though I can only safely use thirty percent of my power right now, we'd be more than fast enough to stop all of these guys._

All of the ones in that room, of course; there was nothing any of them could do about the thousands of people across the island, unless the entire security system was fixed. That was another problem—Togata was smart, but he wouldn't know the first thing about reprogramming a state-of-the-art security system.

"Psst! Mirio!" an unfamiliar voice whispered in his ear. "It's me, Izuku! I turned into Ghostfreak, so I'm invisible." Togata was about to speak, but an invisible hand covered his mouth. "No, just listen. The rest of us are upstairs, with Melissa; she says she can fix the security to save everyone, so we're going to get her to the top floor."

All Might was close enough to hear him, but had enough self-control to stay quiet; he did, however, shake his head, trying to get Midoriya to abandon the plan. Unfortunately, Togata didn't see any other solution.

"You guys need to be ready to move to save the people here as soon as we fix things," Midoriya went on. "Just… keep my parents safe, please?"

Togata glanced back at Midoriya's parents; Inko was trembling in Hisashi's arms, and both of them were frantically looking about for their son. Togata nodded, and he felt the hand on his mouth relax.

"Thanks," he said, already fading away. "We'll get you free as soon as possible."

Togata took a deep breath to center himself. "Good luck," he whispered.

**Okay, this is the third freaking time something has happened between chapters. My grandfather is in the hospital (not from COVID), and his condition seems to change by the hour, and we're not sure he'll make it. The last thirty days or so have royally sucked. I may need a break from everything for a while.**

**Anyway, about the chapter.**

**I'm pretty sure this will be a three-parter, FYI.**

**Now, some of you may be wondering why the entire class isn't here. First of all, most of them didn't even do anything in canon, so it was kind of pointless for them to even be there. At least everyone contributed in the second movie. Second of all, it's pretty clear at this point that this story focuses on the Rising Stars. They're my favorite characters in Class 1-A, so they're the ones to get the spotlight.**

**I hope you liked my version of Izuku's dad. I wanted him to be just a regular guy (albeit one who can breathe fire), one who loves his family, but can't be around because of his job.**

**Oh, something you might have noticed, and I had to go back and edit through the entire story: I've been addressing everyone by their last names, except Mirio. Not really sure why I did that, so I've edited that to fit with everything else. It won't stop his friends from calling him by his first name, I'm just making sure everything lines up.**

**Anyway, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. You can find it on my website (link in my profile), or on Amazon. I'm really trying to get the sequel done, but I've hit a wall, which is something most of you here can sympathize with. Also, I'm trying to find a job, with no success, and I really need the paycheck, since I'm considering going back to college for a Master's degree.**

**You can also support me through P-atreon (link in my profile). Every donation makes my life just a little less stressful. Less stress equals more drive to write, so please consider helping out!**

**Thanks to the following Patrons, who work so hard to manage my stress levels:**

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**Incredible Muffins: RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844**

**Ultra Muffins: Adam Costello, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: Chaos on I-Island! Stars will rise, the shyest member of the Big Three learns to shine, and Midoriya goes beyond Ultra!**

**Stay safe out there!**

**Plus Muffin!**


	26. Stars, Part 2

**MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I WENT TO A SUPERHERO-THEMED WEDDING ONCE. AFTER THE MUSICAL NUMBER, FIGHT SCENE, AND SHEER AMOUNT OF WEAPONRY SNUCK IN, I'M AMAZED WE ALL GOT OUT ALIVE.**

**You know, it's a good thing physical fitness is so important to be a hero in MHA, or the huge number of stairs our heroes have to climb would probably kill them. It would definitely kill me.**

**Also, I hope you've got 'You Say Run' ready to play!**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 26

Stars, Part 2

"This—ow!" Ashido stumbled as they climbed yet another flight of stairs. "This isn't working, guys."

Midoriya looked back; he and the other boys had noticed that the girls had fallen back a good distance by now. "What's wrong?"

Uraraka grimaced and pulled off her shoes. "We're all wearing heels, Deku-kun; they're not exactly built for running."

Yaoyorozu took off her own shoes and looked at them mournfully. "And I bought these just for tonight…" she put them on the floor, next to the other girls' shoes. "We'll have to remember where we put these."

Of the girls, only Asui looked more relaxed. "Ribbit, now I can jump; Hanta and I can scout ahead, if that's okay."

"Don't go too far," Todoroki advised. "We don't want to get separated, especially since we have so much farther to go."

Melissa, bringing up the rear, panted and glared at the sign that read 'Level 25'. "After this is over… I'm telling Papa to install an elevator that runs independent of the security system."

Midoriya shared a guilty look with his friends; they were all in very good shape, and so was Melissa, but she clearly wasn't used to this kind of exertion.

"Do you want me to make you float?" Uraraka offered. "One of us could drag you, and you could get a little rest."

Melissa shook her head. "No, it's fine. Save your Quirk for when you need it."

It was when they finally reached the thirtieth floor that they encountered their first real obstacle—an automated emergency door began to slide shut, blocking their path to the next stairway. The Villains must have noticed them on the cameras, and were moving to contain them.

The students' training and instincts took over; Todoroki kept the door from closing completely by wedging it open with ice, and then Iida vaulted through the open space to knock down the next door with a Recipro-assisted kick. Smaller doors closed every so often, and Ashido and Midoriya took turns breaking through—the former would melt them down with her acid, and the latter shattered them as Four Arms.

"We're going to have to enter the main section of the tower soon," Melissa said when they took a few minutes to rest. "After the eightieth floor, I mean; they already know we're in the building, so the security systems are going to try to stop us no matter where we are."

Ashido wiped off a few small globs of acid from her hands. "Well… that kinda sucks."

"We'll have one advantage," Midoriya muttered, half to himself. "If we're not using the emergency stairs the whole time, we should have more room to maneuver, and hopefully avoid any major fighting."

Uraraka rubbed her sore feet. "More running. Yay." She and the other girls smiled in relief when Todoroki created a few chunks of ice for them. "Thanks, Shoto."

Todoroki shrugged and looked up at the next door. "We need to move. Hurry up."

Ashido rolled her eyes. "Okay, are you a gentleman, or a stoic jerk? Both are attractive, but pick one."

"Can you flirt later, please?" Sero asked as he helped Asui to her feet. "Time and place, Mina."

"There is always time for flirting," Ashido replied, but did go quiet as they finally risked going out into the open when they reached the eightieth floor.

The floor itself looked very out of place for such a technologically advanced structure. It reminded Midoriya of a public garden, or an enormous greenhouse, with plants from all over the world.

"This floor was built to test how certain Quirks affected plants," Melissa answered, in response to his unasked question. She then pointed to the other side of the room. "We'll have to take the service ladder to the gantry above us, and then take another emergency staircase. After that, it's all security stations and administration. I know the shortest route to the security control room."

"How much free time do you have for you to know all this stuff?" Sero asked.

Melissa made a noise that sounded like a cross between a cough and a laugh. "I have nothing to do on this island except study, work on Support Items, and explore. I have _all _the free time."

"Hey, what about that elevator?" Uraraka pointed to the huge pillar at the center of the room. "Couldn't that take us straight to the top?"

"No, we'd need special clearance for that elevator, and it's monitored." Melissa sighed. "There are a dozen failsafes built in to keep someone from hijacking it—including explosives as a last resort."

"So much for using Lodestar to lift us all up there," Midoriya muttered.

"Wait a second!" Yaoyorozu stared at the elevator. "I think… someone is coming down."

They were too far away from the service ladder; they wouldn't make it before whoever was in the elevator arrived. Instead, they darted for the nearest bushes and hid; their best bet to avoid a fight was to hope that any Villains just kept on walking.

Two men emerged from the elevator—they wore the same uniforms as the other Villains, but other than that, they were as different as night and day. One was short and broad, with an expression that suggested he had the intelligence of a particularly thick rock, while the other was tall, almost unhealthily skinny, and had a face that was distinctly rodent-like.

Midoriya prayed that they didn't know where he and his friends were, but his hand hovered over the Ultimatrix. Beside him, his friends were tense; none of them were sure whether they would fight or run. Aside from Melissa, all of them had fought Villains at some point, but those times had happened too fast for them to really think about what was going on. They'd been climbing stairs for almost an hour now, and that had given them all time to really think about what they were doing, and the consequences if they failed.

"Hey, we see you!" the skinny Villain shouted. "Get out here!"

"We've been made," Ben said, though only Midoriya could hear him. "You're going to have to move fast."

"You've got three seconds to come out, or we don't take any chances," the shorter Villain said; the students flinched when they heard the sound of a gun being cocked.

"Get ready to move," Todoroki murmured. "I'll block them."

Hands raised, they stepped out of the bushes; Midoriya swallowed nervously when he found himself staring down the barrel of the gun in the shorter Villain's hand. It was one thing to face danger as an alien that could shrug off a bullet, but it was another thing entirely when he was a vulnerable human. He was reminded of the USJ attack, when Shigaraki was inches away from destroying him, and he started to tremble.

"Aw, you kids thought you'd play hero, huh?" the skinny Villain mocked. "They really should have stayed put, huh, Daigo?"

"You said it, Nobu," the shorter one, Daigo, said. He sneered, and was about to pull the trigger, when two things happened at once. First, a wall of ice rushed up to block his shot; it turned out to be unnecessary, because a long tentacle grabbed Daigo's arm and forced the gun up. Both Daigo and Nobu were blasted away from the students by a spiral wave of energy.

Uraraka's eyes went wide. "Nejire! Tamaki!"

"Hi, guys!" Nejire-chan called out as she flew over to them. "Looks like we got here just in time!"

"They're getting back up," Suneater said as he joined her, his voice unusually steady. "What's going on here?"

"We don't have time to explain the details," Yaoyorozu said quickly. "The short version is that Villains have taken over the security systems. We need to get Melissa there so that she can free all the hostages and the Heroes can handle the rest."

It spoke of the older students' experience and capability that they didn't hesitate. They turned to face Daigo and Nobu, who looked more than ready to fight.

"You guys go on ahead," Suneater ordered. "We'll take care of these guys, and then we'll catch up."

Midoriya knew that they had no time to discuss it. "Be careful!"

Rather than keep going for the service ladder, Todoroki created an erupting column of ice underneath their feet that lifted them to the gantry above. Melissa led the way to the next part of the tower, but Midoriya couldn't help looking back at the fight breaking out below. Both Daigo and Nobu had activated their Quirks; the latter's hands had become larger and webbed, while the former's entire body had become larger, bulging with muscle, and he'd turned purple. The last thing Midoriya saw before he turned a corner was the two Villains charging at his friends.

"Okay, now we have a new problem," Melissa said as the reached the next section.

"Oh, what now?" Ashido whined.

Melissa gestured to the door. "This one is locked from the other side, and if we try to just knock it down, it'll trigger automated defenses… like electrified floors and knockout gas."

Yaoyorozu frowned. "Why haven't they tried to use that on us before?"

"Hey, I'm not complaining," Sero half-joked.

"It's part of a layered security network," Melissa explained. "The most sensitive areas of the tower are above us, so the defenses are tightest. And they exist on a separate, isolated network, to keep a cyber-attack from taking over the whole thing."

"That makes sense," Yaoyorozu said.

Ashido leaned over to whisper to Uraraka. "It does?"

Uraraka shrugged. "Smart-people techno-babble."

"Ah."

"All we have to do is unlock the door from the other side," Melissa said. "There's a small service duct that leads around, but someone would have to go outside the tower itself."

Midoriya held up one hand. "Um… I could just walk through the door and unlock it."

Melissa blinked. "Or you could do that."

Midoriya cycled through his aliens until he found the one he needed. When the flash of light faded, everyone saw that he had turned into a blue insect-like creature that seemed to be wearing a blue cloak and hood.

"That one is new," Iida noted. "What do you call it?"

"Big Chill," the moth-man said. "Give me a minute, and I'll have that door open."

A moment later, Big Chill's body became transparent, and he simply walked through the door. There was a loud _clunk_, and then a squeak as the door opened.

"And you didn't get electrified, ribbit." Asui hesitated, and then hopped through the open doorway. "Anything else we need to worry about?"

"We got past those Villains," Melissa said, "so I think they're going to try harder to stop us."

…

Suneater grunted with effort as Daigo slammed his fist into the clamshell he'd manifested. The shell cracked from the impact, but it still held; Suneater wrapped the tentacles on his other hand around Daigo's torso and hurled him across the room. The big man skidded and rolled, then recovered and charged again.

The other half of the fight wasn't going anywhere either. Nejire-chan bombarded Nobu with spiral waves, but every time the energy was about to hit him, a chunk of it suddenly vanished and reappeared elsewhere, opening up a hole just big enough for Nobu to slide through. It seemed that his Quirk involved displacing whatever was in a certain space, including energy. Suneater didn't want to think about what could happen if he hit a living person with that Quirk.

Suneater was worried—not just about the fighting here, but for the younger students and Melissa, for Togata and All Might, and for all the people in danger. And he was worried about Nejire-chan; she was using a lot of energy in a very short amount of time, and if the fight didn't end quickly, she ran the very real risk of permanently damaging her health. He couldn't bear the thought of that happening.

"Pay attention!" Daigo roared, and only a last-second dodge prevented Suneater from getting his skull crushed. "You think we're just small-time crooks, so you won't take this seriously?" He grinned. "Maybe that pretty girl will be more of a challenge. Nobu!"

Nobu glanced at his partner and nodded; a moment later, he displaced a chunk of the floor over to Daigo, who hurled it with the speed of a baseball pitcher directly at Nejire-chan. She saw the attack coming and blasted the debris, but it was too late; a piece of concrete clipped the side of her head, and she tumbled out of the air.

"So much for that one," Daigo sneered, only to get sent flying back as a clamshell-hand smashed into his face.

"_Get away from her!" _Suneater shouted, and put himself between Nejire-chan and the Villains.

"Tamaki…" Nejire-chan tried to stand, but all she managed was to sit up. Her hand went to her head, and came away bloody.

"Stay there," Suneater said, his voice so full of resolve that even the Villains were taken aback. "I'll end this in a second."

Nobu glared at him. "You really are arrogant, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not." Suneater reached up and removed his visor. "I just know I can beat a couple of thugs like you."

"You can barely stop my punches!" Daigo roared as he charged again. "What makes you think you can beat us?"

_Simple_, Suneater thought, _I just need to stop holding back. Remember what I've learned at UA—combining manifestations, choosing the right characteristics… and stop being afraid!_

Daigo was slammed into the floor with incredible force by what seemed to be a larger tentacle at first. However, that tentacle, and the dozen others that replaced Suneater's arms, was covered in segments of red shell. His face was also covered by the same living armor, shaped to look like a mask that concealed all but his eyes.

"VAST HYBRID," he shouted, "CHIMERA KRAKEN!"

The enormous tentacles moved in a blur; Daigo tried to rise to his feet, only to get them swept out from under him. He had just fallen on his back when a pair of tentacles slammed down on him over and over, beating him like a drum, until the middle sections of both tentacles abruptly vanished, and then reappeared a short distance away. Blood spewed from the stumps of his limbs and Suneater flinched from the pain, and then glared at Nobu; he sent four tentacles at the thinner Villain, but three of them were displaced into several pieces, scattered all over. The fourth tentacle managed to catch Nobu in the chest with enough force to drive the air from his lungs. With a little bit of effort, Suneater replaced his damaged tentacles with new ones, which he used to grab Daigo's limbs. He heaved the purple ogre over his head, and slammed him into the downed Nobu. There was a crash and a cloud of dust, and when it settled, the two Villains were done; their transformations had reverted, and they were clearly unconscious.

Suneater remained ready, just in case, for several seconds. Once he was sure that his opponents weren't getting back up, he let his manifestations fade; his arms were sore, and some of the damage Nobu had done had transferred over, but it wasn't too serious.

"Are you okay, Nejire?" he asked.

For a moment, he wondered if she was concussed, because she just stared up at him, as if trying to comprehend what she was seeing. Suneater hesitated, and then held out one hand, which she took.

"I'm okay, Tamaki," she finally said. "That was amazing!"

Suneater looked away, embarrassed. "It's nothing. Mirio would have done so much better."

Because he wasn't looking at her, he didn't realize she was leaning in for a kiss until her lips pressed against his cheek. Now it was his turn to stare, and she smiled.

"He didn't shine like you did just now."

Suneater felt tears prick at the corner of his eyes. Nejire-chan tugged at his arm, and even with blood covering half of her face, her smile was as bright as the sun.

"Come on! We should catch up with the others."

"R-right." As he followed after her, Suneater smiled.

_She said I shined… if she really believes that, maybe it's true._

…

"We're near a lot of the administrative systems now," Melissa said as they ran. "Most of the rooms are filled with computers and sensitive equipment."

"Then we'll have to be careful not to damage anything," Iida said. "This is all critical for maintaining the island."

Ashido rolled her eyes. "I can feel you glaring at me, Tenya. I know, I know—be careful with the acid."

"Where's the next staircase, ribbit?" Asui asked, cutting off a potential argument.

"Just up ahead," Melissa said. "It's a generator room."

Ashido melted the door up ahead, but jumped back as soon as she saw what was on the other side. "Uh, guys? There's a bunch of robots waiting for us."

"Is there any other way through?" Iida asked Melissa. "It would be better if we could avoid a fight."

Melissa shook her head. "Every other route would take too long."

"Then we have to get through those robots," Sero said.

"I can clear a path," Midoriya offered. "Cannonbolt could just run over them."

"You should hurry up, ribbit," Asui said. "I think they're coming."

"R-right." Midoriya transformed into Cannonbolt, and walked over to the doorway. "Th-that's a lot of robots."

At first glance, the I-Island robots weren't that intimidating, but that was probably the point. They were vaguely conical, but with a blunt top, and rolled around on four stubby wheeled legs. During the few short breaks they'd taken, Melissa had told them all about what she knew of the robots' capabilities—they weren't designed to really hurt someone, but they were durable, and enough of them could immobilize almost anyone with strong cables they could launch. Their downside was that they weren't very fast, so all the students had to do was get past them, and make it to another floor.

Cannonbolt curled up and started rolling in place to build up speed, but the robots were nearly on him already, and if he didn't move soon, they'd get past the narrow walkway that funneled them into one place. At that moment, he had a crazy idea, and without time to think it through, he decided to go for it.

"Tenya, kick me!" he shouted.

Iida hesitated for half a second, but he trusted Midoriya, and he wouldn't have asked for such a crazy thing if he didn't think it would work. Everyone stepped aside as Iida's boosters flared, and he launched himself forward.

"RECIPRO BURST!"

His leg connected solidly with Cannonbolt, who began rolling forward just before impact. The result was that Cannonbolt rocketed through the robots so quickly that many of them were shattered into pieces. Cannonbolt himself was lodged in the far wall, and couldn't get free.

"Um, a little help?" he called.

Uraraka made him weightless, and then Sero and Asui pulled him free. After Uraraka returned the effects of gravity, Midoriya turned back to normal.

"That was so cool, you two!" Ashido said to Midoriya and Iida. "You should remember that move."

Despite the situation, Iida couldn't help but smile. "Indeed! Though, perhaps we should make sure you don't get stuck in a wall, Izuku."

"Y-yeah." Midoriya tried and failed not to look embarrassed, especially when the girls giggled for a moment; he shot Uraraka a betrayed look, but she barely tried to hide how funny she found him. "C-come on, we need to keep going!"

…

There were no more robot attacks until they reached the server room, and even though each individual robot wasn't too much of a threat, the sight of dozens pouring out to attack them was a little worrying.

"We need to push past them," Todoroki said, his left hand wreathed in flame.

"No, wait!" Melissa grabbed his shoulder. "Remember, we can't damage the servers, or the whole island will fall into chaos!"

"She's right," Yaoyorozu said. "Izuku, Mina, Shoto, take Melissa to the security center—the rest of us will make sure the Villains don't damage the servers as a last resort."

"Are you sure?" Midoriya asked; he trusted his friends, true, but he didn't like the idea of leaving them behind.

"Don't worry, Deku-kun," Uraraka said, not taking her eyes off the advancing robots. "We'll be fine."

Midoriya nodded one last time at his friends, and then he and the others followed Melissa through a side-corridor.

"All right, everyone," Iida said, boosters glowing, "let's go!"

"Ribbit!" Asui's tongue wrapped around a robot, and with a heave, she launched it into the air; as her tongue retracted, she jumped up and kicked another robot.

The first robot was kicked into a wall by Sero as he swung around with his tape, and the second was stabbed by a sword Yaoyorozu had made. Iida, boosters at full power, smashed through several more. Uraraka made one robot weightless, and then used it as an improvised club; when her 'weapon' became too damaged, she tossed it aside and grabbed another.

"Cover me!" Yaoyorozu barked, and Sero made a net of tape to block the robots' path as Yaoyorozu opened up her dress enough to create a cannon. "I have enough lipids to make a few soft-ammo shells."

When she stumbled after making such a large object, Sero glanced back at her in worry, but immediately averted his gaze when he saw that Yaoyorozu hadn't completely closed up her dress. "Okay, s-sure."

"Hanta, move!" Asui tackled Sero out of the way, just before a robot's cables would have wrapped around him. Without another word, she twisted around and kicked that robot with enough strength to dent the metal and knock it over; Sero kept it from getting back up with a few strands of tape.

"Thanks," Sero panted; he was using so much of his tape that he was starting to get dehydrated, and he wasn't the only one suffering after tonight. Yaoyorozu was able to create half a dozen of shells filled with a putty-like substance and fired at the robots before the effort made her fall to her knees. Iida got in a few more Recipro-assisted kicks before his engines stalled out, and then he was barely able to do more than dent the robots. Asui, like Sero, wasn't made for this kind of fight, and after a few minutes, her legs were covered in bruises.

Uraraka was the first to get caught; she had quickly worn herself out using her Quirk over and over, and when she stumbled, a pair of robots tied her ankles together and pinned her arms to her sides. She fell to the ground heavily, and she saw stars; when her vision cleared, things had gone from bad to worse.

Iida was pinned by a dozen robots, and needed his legs tied together several times over when he continued to kick his captors. Yaoyorozu, barely able to move after using so many lipids, was dragged away by another robot. Asui was tied up from mouth to ankles; the robots had seen how dangerous her tongue could be, and weren't taking any chances. Poor Sero had each arm tied behind him, and forced face-first into the floor.

It was hard for Uraraka to tell for sure, but she guessed they'd fought an endless tide of robots—robots specifically meant to withstand combat with Quirk-users—for about five minutes.

_I hope we bought them enough time._

…

"There it is!" Melissa pointed to a thinner tower connected to the main one by a bridge that sat over a series of wind turbines. "We just need to get in there, and we can fix this!"

"Oh, thank god," Ashido whined. "I am never complaining about Aizawa-sensei's drills again after this!"

Midoriya had to agree. The climb here had been awful, and it wasn't getting any better; it was even colder at the top of the tower, and the wind felt like it was cutting into his skin. He would be happy to relax somewhere warm when this was over.

"Look out!" Todoroki stopped and held out his arm to block their progress. "More robots."

Sure enough, robots were swarming across the bridge, and from a door ahead of them, in an effort to stop them.

"We don't have time to deal with them," Todoroki said, and tossed away his jacket. "Izuku, take Melissa to the security center and end all this. Mina and I will hold off the robots."

Midoriya looked from one friend to another. "Are you sure?"

Ashido smiled at him. "Don't worry, Midori; up here, Shoto and I can cut loose!"

"Okay, thanks." Midoriya turned into Jetray and presented his back to Melissa. "Climb on, and hold on tight."

"Thanks," Melissa said, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Good luck, you two!"

Jetray quickly carried them both to the other side of the bridge, but Ashido only focused on them for a moment.

"You ready for this, Shoto?"

Todoroki's left arm ignited, burning away his sleeve. "Let's go."

A stream of fire washed over the first rank of robots; they were heat-resistant, but only to a point, and when Todoroki focused, he exceeded their limit. Most of the first wave stuttered to a halt, their armor warped and glowing, while smoke coughed from overheated circuits.

Ashido skated forward on a stream of acid, nimbly dodging the cables the robots tried to catch her with. She spun gracefully, arms out and spraying a much stronger acid; again, the robots were built to resist damage, but only so far, and many of them were barely recognizable after only a few seconds.

Todoroki wished he could just push all the robots off the edge of the tower with his ice. Unfortunately, there was a chance that the falling machines would hit someone on the ground, and that limited his options with his ice.

"So, you having fun yet?" Ashido asked as she skated over to him.

"This is fun for you?"

"Well, I'm cold, my feet hurt, and I'm trying not to think about how high up we are," Ashido admitted, "but other than that, I'm having a blast!"

Todoroki impaled several robots with spikes of ice. "It's not that cold."

"Dude, you're heat- and cold-proof, you don't get to talk." Ashido hurled a glob of acid like a grenade, and then ducked back behind Todoroki. "This dress was _not _meant for cold and wind."

In that moment, Todoroki was glad that he was busy fighting robots, because he almost turned to look at her. Strong wind and dresses did not mix, and a few stray droplets of acid dripped onto her dress every so often, making tiny holes.

Ashido hissed and rubbed one arm. "Ouch. I'm using stronger acid, and it's starting to hurt."

Todoroki didn't want to admit it, but he was starting to get tired as well; he only needed a minute to even himself out with his Quirk, but the robots weren't about to give him that time. Eventually, because he couldn't use as much ice, he would start to overheat, and he knew from Endeavor how bad that would be.

_I really wish we had some backup, _he thought.

As if the universe heard him, a spiral of energy shot overhead and crashed into the robots, blasting them apart. A moment later, enormous tentacles grabbed more robots, and crushed them.

"You guys need some help?" Nejire-chan asked as she and Suneater landed next to them.

"Yes, please!" Ashido chirped.

Suneater tossed aside more robots before glancing at them. "Where's everyone else?"

"Most of them are keeping the server room safe," Todoroki reported. "Izuku took Melissa to the security center to end this."

"Cool!" Nejire-chan gathered more energy in her hands. "Then let's keep these things off their backs!"

Todoroki looked at Ashido and smirked. "Okay, _now _I'm starting to have fun."

…

Jetray landed just outside the door, and when Melissa got off, he turned into Diamondhead. "Okay, I'll go in and make sure it's safe, and then you follow me."

"Got it." Melissa did her best to keep up a brave face. "Good luck."

Diamondhead knew he'd made the right call as soon as he walked through the door—a man with metallic blades covering his arms lunged at him, swords scraping off Diamondhead's arm.

"You kids just don't know when to give up!"

"No, not really!" Diamondhead grabbed the man's wrists, and then slammed his forehead into his nose. It took two more headbutts before Diamondhead was sure he was unconscious, and then he let go.

"You can come in," he called out.

"Wow," Melissa said, gingerly stepping around the unconscious Villain. "Just how many Quirks do you have?"

On the one hand, Diamondhead didn't want to call his aliens Quirks anymore; then again, this world had Quirks _because _of the same alien DNA in the Ultimatrix.

"Um, I have a lot," he said vaguely.

"It's a good thing you have that watch to help you use all those powers." Melissa frowned. "And it's a good thing you're here, Izuku; I don't think I would have made it far without a Quirk."

"Don't sell yourself short," Diamondhead said. "You might be Quirkless, but you're braver than anyone I've ever met. And you seem to know everything we need to save everyone, so I'm sure you'd figure out a way to get here, even if you'd been alone."

Melissa smiled. "Thanks. I think the only person who ever said something like that to me was Papa. Everyone else just looks down on me because I'm Quirkless, even if they don't say anything, because of my father."

_So, she does know what it's like, _Diamondhead thought. _She and I are more alike than I thought._

"Well, let's go save him, so he can go back to telling you things like that."

"Smooth, buddy," Ben said. "Seriously, if you weren't dating Uraraka, I'd say you just _intentionally_ earned serious points with this one."

Diamondhead was glad he couldn't blush, but he still made sure not to look at Melissa as they climbed the last flight of stairs. A pair of gunmen met them halfway and opened fire, but Diamondhead created a barrier in front of Melissa, and then charged forward. The bullets ricocheted harmlessly off of him, and when he got close enough, he beat both men into the ground.

"Okay, there's only the storage vault between us and the security center," Melissa said as she stepped over the downed criminals. "Papa will be in either of those places. If he's in the vault, we can save him, and then he can help us save everyone else."

"Sounds good to me." Diamondhead led the way into the vault—a massive circular room, lined with containers built into the walls—but what he and Melissa saw made them both freeze.

David Shield wasn't being held at gunpoint, nor was he restrained in any way. In fact, he seemed to be almost casual as he chatted with the Villain who had taken him prisoner.

"Papa!"

David turned, and his eyes went wide with horror as he saw his daughter. "Melissa!? What are you doing here?"

"I… we came to save you, Papa." Melissa looked between him and Wolfram, who seemed content to watch things unfold. "What's going on?"

"Professor Shield!" Sam pulled a metal briefcase out of a safe he'd just opened. "I have it! Now we can get out of here!"

Wolfram nodded. "Excellent." He glanced at the last of his men behind him. "Get the helicopter ready. I'll handle things here."

David took a moment to compose himself. "Thank you, Sam."

Diamondhead opened his mouth, and said something he prayed was wrong. "Professor, are you working with these Villains?"

"Izuku!" Melissa whirled and glared at him. "How could you say that? My father would never—"

"It's true," David said, looking Diamondhead in the eye. "I hired some actors to play the part of Villains, all so that I could get my hands on this." He gestured to the briefcase Sam held. "I couldn't let this opportunity slip by."

"What opportunity?" Diamondhead knew that the longer he kept David talking, the longer he had to figure out a way to end this safely. "What's in that case?"

"The greatest invention of my career," David said. "The QAD—Quirk Amplification Device. It pushes the Quirk of whoever uses it far beyond what they could ever do on their own. With something like that, anyone who wanted to be a Hero, but was rejected because their Quirk was too weak would be able to compete with the best." He scowled. "But the Board said it was too dangerous, especially if it fell into the wrong hands, so they sealed up the prototype and confiscated my research."

"But that makes sense," Diamondhead protested. "If a Villain got that kind of machine, they'd hurt countless people!"

"It's worth the risk!" David shouted, surprising both teenagers. "I had to get this back—not for myself, but for All Might!"

Melissa looked like she was only a step away from shutting down completely. "What does Uncle Might have to do with this?"

"All Might is the shining beacon for Heroes, and the entire world," David said. "If that light goes out, there _will _be chaos. Villains will come out in droves, and no one will feel safe. And that _is _happening; All Might is getting weaker, and soon, he won't be able to help anyone." He stepped towards Sam and the case. "But with the QAD boosting his powers, he'll be as strong as he used to be—maybe even stronger!"

Just as David reached for the case, Sam stepped back, and Wolfram moved between them; Diamondhead tensed when he saw the gun pointed at David's face.

"Sorry, Professor," Wolfram sneered, "but there's been a change of plans."

"Out of my way," David ordered. "That gun only holds blanks, so you don't scare me."

"Oh, is that what Sam told you?" Wolfram jerked his free thumb over his shoulder. "Why don't you explain things, Sam?"

"Sorry, Professor, but Wolfram and his men aren't actors." Sam clutched the case to his chest tightly. "I was onboard with your plan to steal the QAD because I thought we'd just sell it, but you wanted to _give _it away!? As soon as I heard that, I knew that this theft would have to be real."

David gaped at him. "Sam, why!?"

"_Why_!?I've spent my whole life working for you, and I'm not about to give up my chance at a true reward!" Sam held out the case. "This is what's going to set me up for life!"

"What he said." Wolfram turned and grinned wickedly at Sam. "Unfortunately, your life is going to be measured in seconds."

Melissa screamed when Wolfram fired; in a stroke of luck, Sam moved the case in the way of the bullet, which skipped off the corner and hit him in the shoulder, rather than the heart. Just as Wolfram fired again to finish the job, David jumped in the way and took the second bullet in his own shoulder.

Diamondhead was moving before the second shot had hit; he tried to punch Wolfram, but the Villain ducked and placed his hand on the floor. The area around his hand glowed for a moment, and then the floor around Diamondhead warped and flowed almost like water. He was knocked back against a slab of metal, and then rebar pinned his limbs back; while he was strong enough to break the metal coils, he had no leverage to utilize his strength.

"Papa!" Melissa tried to run to her father, only to get pistol-whipped across the face by Wolfram.

"Your daddy's coming with me," Wolfram said as he aimed the gun at her. "And I think he'll be more productive in my employ if he doesn't have you around to distract him."

"No!" Diamondhead was briefly covered in huge spikes that tore through the rebar, and then he fired a burst of crystal shards at the arm holding the gun. Somehow, he managed to destroy the gun, but Wolfram himself was unharmed.

Diamondhead put himself between Melissa and Wolfram, who already had David slung over his shoulder, and the briefcase in hand. "Melissa, get the security fixed! I'll save your father! I promise!"

Melissa hesitated for a moment, then nodded and hurried to the door. Wolfram tried to hit her with more metal, but there was a flash of light, and then Humungousaur was there, blocking the slab of metal with one enormous hand.

"I'm not going to let you touch her," Humungousaur growled, and grew to his maximum size. The two became locked in a brief stalemate; Wolfram's every move was smashed apart, but Humungousaur couldn't advance.

"Tch." Wolfram sneered, and then manipulated the floor into a massive wall. "Too bad, kid; you can have the island, but I'm still taking the professor and his toy."

Humungousaur tore through the wall after several punches, but by then, Wolfram was gone.

"Damn it!" Humungousaur shrank down to his normal size, and followed.

…

Melissa was thankful that Wolfram hadn't left any of his men behind to guard the security center; she was also thankful that she knew how the system worked. The only problem she had was trying to focus. This night had been nothing but a nightmare for her; her father, the person she loved and respected most, had been kidnapped, only to have staged the whole thing so that he could commit a crime, and had then been shot in front of her and _actually _kidnapped.

Still, she was able to deactivate the security systems, and then reset them; all across the island, the robots stopped herding people around, and the lockdown ended. She then watched through the security cameras as the Heroes were freed; when she saw All Might punch one of the gunmen _into _a wall, she felt a little of the tension leave her.

"Please hurry," she whispered, and pulled out her phone.

…

Lemillion had been ready to act the entire time, and when the bonds around he and the other Heroes abruptly shut off, he _moved_. Golden lightning crackled around him as he drove his fist into a gunman's face, and then shattered another's rifle before he had a chance to even blink. Nearby, All Might dashed from one criminal to the next, using their bodies as makeshift jackhammers to create craters in the walls and floor. The other Heroes were less than a second behind them, taking down the other gunmen quickly and professionally.

"Melissa must have fixed the security," Lemillion said as he dragged an unconscious man over to the growing pile of captured criminals.

"Yes, and now, we should hurry to see if anyone needs—" All Might paused when he heard his phone ring. "It's Melissa! Hold on, young Mirio."

Lemillion waited impatiently as All Might listened intently, but then his eyes went wide for a moment.

"Don't worry, Melissa! We're on it!" All Might hung up and turned to Lemillion. "We don't have much time to act; Dave is being taken to a helicopter on the roof, and only young Midoriya is able to pursue. We have to hurry!"

"All Might, send me on ahead," Lemillion said. "I can get there faster than anyone running up some stairs."

All Might hesitated, but then nodded. "Good point, young Mirio. Do you mind if I give you a boost? I'll catch up as soon as I can."

Lemillion grinned. "Not at all."

All Might grabbed the younger man's arm and started to spin, building up momentum. "OKLAHOMA SMASH!"

With a mighty heave, All Might threw Lemillion up and at an angle, in the direction of the tower's roof. Lemillion used Permeation to pass through each floor, but turned it off and on to build up speed, until he was getting dangerously close to breaking the sound barrier. He was going to be sore for a while after pushing his limits like this, but if it meant saving someone who needed help, it would be worth it.

_Hang on, Izuku, I'm on my way!_

…

"Oh, thank goodness." Iida grimaced as he stretched out his freed legs. "That was uncomfortable."

Yaoyorozu used a deactivated robot to weakly prop herself up. "This means that… the others… got Melissa to the security center!"

"Come on," Uraraka said, voice urgent, "we should catch up!"

Asui nodded, but then ribbited weakly and nearly collapsed; her legs were horribly bruised, and she would have fallen, if Sero hadn't caught her. She smiled at him, and he returned it. Yaoyorozu had also used up almost all her lipids and could barely stand, so Iida took it upon himself to carry her on his back; his boosters still needed time to recharge, but he was in better shape than most of them.

Uraraka winced; she felt horrible for not considering how hard they had pushed themselves tonight. She wasn't fully recovered from using her Quirk so much during the fight either; her stomach felt like it was trying to turn itself inside-out.

_Sorry, Deku-kun, _she thought, _we might be a little late._

…

"Okay, that kinda sucked." Ashido sat down on a half-destroyed robot and rubbed her wrists. "I'm gonna be sore for a week."

Todoroki sat next to her. "Yeah, I could use a break."

"This trip was supposed to _be _our break," Ashido pouted, and put her head on his shoulder.

"We've got two more days."

"Good. I'm going to spend them doing absolutely _nothing_."

Sitting across from them, Nejire-chan yawned. "Yeah, I think I need a nap. It's been a long night."

Suneater didn't say anything, but he looked like was about to fall asleep. The peaceful moment lasted about two seconds, and then it was shattered by the sound of shearing metal, and an alien roar.

"I think that was Izuku," Todoroki said, and shot to his feet. "Come on!"

…

Humungousaur saw the helicopter taking off as he reached the roof; it was just starting to fly when he, now grown to thirty feet tall, grabbed the tail of the helicopter. The tail rotor nicked his shoulder, but his hide was thick enough to absorb the spinning blades with little pain. He reached for David, but the metal skin of the helicopter door morphed into thin blades and stabbed into his hand. They didn't do too much damage, but it surprised Humungousaur, especially when the blades pushed deeper under his skin, like worms crawling through soil.

"Better let go, kid," Wolfram taunted; one hand was touching the door, while the other held the case. One foot was planted squarely on David's back. "If you don't, I _will _shred your whole arm."

"Not gonna happen," Humungousaur shot back. "I won't stand by when someone needs help!"

"Oh, please!" Wolfram rolled his eyes. "The professor here doesn't even _deserve _help! He's tainted now, a man who let his own desires get ahead of everyone's safety! Even if you do rescue him, he'll spend years in prison for this little scheme, and he'll never work in this job again."

"He's…" David winced. "He's right. Just let go, it's not worth getting hurt over me."

"It's not—" Humungousaur flinched as the metal dug deeper through his flesh, but didn't let go. "It's not about you, it's about Melissa! She just wants her father back, and I promised that I'd do just that!"

"How gallant," Wolfram laughed. "Too bad you're going to be down an arm, regardless of what you do."

Humungousaur gritted his teeth as the pain grew more intense. The helicopter started to slip from his grasp, and as it did, he let out a roar of defiance. That roar was answered a moment later by a shout of effort, as Lemillion phased through the roof and into the helicopter.

"Sorry I'm late!" he shouted, shoving Wolfram away and grabbing David. He then leapt from the helicopter and landed on the ground. "You're good, Midoriya! Take this guy down!"

With another roar, Humungousaur slammed the chopper down onto the helipad. The entire fuselage crumpled, and shards of metal went everywhere; Humungousaur covered both Lemillion and David with his own body to protect them from shrapnel, even if the former didn't need it.

"Wow," Lemillion said as he looked at the flaming wreckage of the helicopter. "Remind me not to get on your bad side, dude."

Humungousaur rubbed his bleeding arm and winced. "Sure, as long as there aren't any helicopters involved. Ouch."

"Speaking of 'ouch', we should get you to a doctor," Lemillion said to David. "All Might is on his way too, so this should get wrapped up—"

"Look out!" Humungousaur shoved them both out of the way, just as a massive column of metal crashed into him. The metal then wrapped around his body and hefted him into the air.

Crazed laughter rang out as Wolfram emerged from the wreckage. He'd removed his helmet, and replaced it with a fragile-looking machine. Even though he wasn't touching any metal with his hands, the metal helipad was bending to his will, and whole chunks of the tower were ripped out to orbit him in a growing cloud.

"This is amazing! I've never felt so powerful!" Wolfram grinned madly. "Forget selling this thing to the highest bidder; with this kind of power, no one can stop me!"

Humungousaur struggled, but his arms were pinned to his sides, and he couldn't reach the Ultimatrix dial. All he could do was watch as Wolfram lifted more metal into the air, sharpened them into blades, and sent them hurtling at Lemillion and David.

"HEAVEN-PIERCING ICE WALL!"

A huge wave of ice met the metal with a horrible screech, halting the blades in place. A moment later, Ashido fell from the sky and hit the metal binding Humungousaur with her strongest acid. The metal melted in seconds, and he fell to the roof.

"Midori, catch me!" Thankfully, Ashido landed in Humungousaur's outstretched hands. "Whoa! That was cool!"

Wolfram hastily raised a shield of debris to block a massive wave of energy. He glared up at Nejire-chan, who was so exhausted that she couldn't attack and fly at the same time; she was resting on Suneater's back, and she slumped forward as he landed behind Lemillion.

Humungousaur and Ashido joined them and braced themselves for whatever came next, but most of them weren't in any shape for a fight. Nejire-chan was almost unconscious, Todoroki had nearly frozen himself with his best move, Ashido's arms were covered in acid-burns, and Suneater was busy keeping them all from falling off the roof. Only Humungousaur and Lemillion could fight the empowered Villain.

"Hey, Freshman." Humungousaur glanced at Lemillion, who was glaring at Wolfram. "You ready to take this guy down?"

Humungousaur cracked his neck. "Absolutely."

"A couple of kids, huh?" Wolfram threw more debris at them. "This'll be a warmup for when a _real _Hero gets here!"

Lemillion phased through the metal, while Humungousaur batted it away. "We are Heroes!" the former shouted. "We save lives, and we stop people like you! That's what being a Hero is all about!"

"And it's not just us," Humungousaur added. "Everyone who fought with us, who risked their lives to save the people on this island—all of them are real heroes!"

"Yeah, you tell him, Deku-kun!" Uraraka cheered as she and the others, including Melissa, joined them.

"Papa!" Melissa knelt by her father and tried to stop the bleeding; Sero provided her with some tape to at least apply pressure.

"Melissa…" David looked away. "I'm so sorry. I just wanted—"

"Don't talk now," Melissa interrupted. "Just… you can tell me everything later."

Lemillion drove his fist into Wolfram's chest, but even with the strength of One For All, all he did was knock the man back a single step. He was so surprised that he didn't react in time to avoid a punch in return; the blow was so strong that it sent him crashing into a pile of debris, even with One For All enhancing his durability.

"That doesn't make sense," Humungousaur said as he narrowly avoided another moving column. "His Quirk involves metal!"

"That's _one _of my Quirks," Wolfram corrected, as his muscles bulged. "I got another when my employer mentioned that All Might would be here."

Lemillion froze; All Might had told him of a Villain who could bestow Quirks onto other people, but… "You work for All For One!?"

Wolfram shrugged. "Never met him before this job, but anyone who's anyone in the criminal underworld has heard about him. He's a legend, a boogeyman, and everyone kicks something up to him, whether they know it or not. He wanted to hurt All Might by ruining his closest friend, and the money was good. And with this little toy as a bonus, I'd say that it was worth the hassle."

Humungousaur didn't know what they were talking about, but he understood that there was someone pulling the strings. He could think about that later, though; right now, they had to stop Wolfram.

"First, though…" Wolfram rose up on a makeshift platform of metal, and formed huge cubes that orbited around him. "Let's clear the board of all these weaklings!"

"Izuku." Ben floated next to Humungousaur, more serious than ever. "This is a serious threat. If he does any more damage, he could topple the whole tower. I don't think you need a better reason to have this." He placed his hand on the Ultimatrix dial, twisted it, and then slapped it; four spikes emerged, and Ben nodded. "Hyper-Evolutionary Feature now active. Go get 'em, buddy."

Humungousaur started to change; he grew taller and more muscular, and his skin turned green. Dark-blue armored plates grew on his chest and especially his back, while his tail ended in a spiked mace, and silver barrel-like protrusions grew over his knuckles.

"What's this?" Wolfram called down from his growing platform. "Are you going 'Plus Ultra', like All Might always goes on about?"

"No," Ultimate Humungousaur said in an even deeper voice than before. "I'm going Plus _Ultimate_."

Wolfram launched the cubes, but Ultimate Humungousaur simply raised his hands, which morphed into what looked like quad-barreled cannons. Each barrel fired a series of organic missiles that obliterated the cubes with massive explosions.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Ben cheered. "Show that guy what you can really do!"

"Lemillion," Ultimate Humungousaur growled, and the older boy got to his feet. "Let's go."

"You got it!" Lemillion's body crackled with golden lightning, and he vanished in a blur.

Wolfram barely brought up a sheet of metal in time to block Lemillion, but it didn't matter; his fist simply phased through the barrier and smashed into Wolfram's face. The Villain shook it off, but was nearly knocked off his platform by another barrage from Ultimate Humungousaur. The explosions were so powerful that the shockwaves nearly sent the others flying; the only reason Melissa didn't fall off the roof was because Sero and Asui grabbed her at the last minute with their respective Quirks.

Lemillion started popping in and out of the metal surrounding Wolfram; he would dart out, land a punch or kick, and then dart back in. Every time Wolfram tried to counterattack, his weapons would be destroyed by Ultimate Humungousaur, or his personal attack would simply go through Lemillion.

Ultimate Humungousaur marched up to the slowly growing defenses surrounding Wolfram, firing as he went. Some cables hung underneath, and they were close enough to grab; with his incredible strength, Ultimate Humungousaur started dragging the whole thing down like the worlds ugliest kite. When it was close enough, he smashed through the last bit of armor that Wolfram had summoned, and drew back one fist.

"Now!" Ultimate Humungousaur shouted.

"Take this!" Lemillion built up more and more speed, and then solidly connected his fist with Wolfram's jaw. "PHANTOM MENACE!"

Rather than call out a flashy move, Ultimate Humungousaur roared and punched Wolfram in the chest. The Villain spun wildly through the air from the different angles of the two punches and collapsed; blood trickled from his mouth, and from the lumpy way his chest looked, he probably had a few broken ribs. The QAD slipped from his head and broke into pieces. There was a moment of silence as everyone processed what had happened.

"They did it!" Uraraka shouted, and that set off cheers from everyone.

The celebration ended almost immediately when the massive platform Wolfram had been using began to tilt and break apart.

"We need to stop that stuff!" Lemillion ran forward and grabbed a cable, only for it to violently separate from the rest. "It's going to land on anyone below us!"

"Allow me to help with that!" All Might boomed as he rocketed up from a lower floor. "It seems I got here in time to help after all!"

"All Might, can you push the largest part away from the tower?" Ultimate Humungousaur asked; he had no time to feel relief at the man's arrival. "That way, I can destroy it without damaging anything else."

All Might took in Midoriya's new appearance with only a split-second of surprise, and then nodded. "Leave that to me, young Midoriya!"

"And I'll stop the smaller pieces from hitting us," Lemillion said as he dashed off.

"Here we go, young Midoriya!" All Might drew back his fist, and then punched. "DETROIT SMASH!"

The air-blast sent the makeshift asteroid flying up and away, and gave Ultimate Humungousaur a clear shot. With a roar, he fired as many missiles as he could in a wide spread; in seconds, the entire thing was destroyed in a massive explosion that briefly gave I-Island an early sunrise. As that happened, Lemillion punched and kicked chunks of debris away from the rest of the group; he winced when he knocked away a car-sized piece of solid metal, but that knocked him off-course. Only a desperate tackle at the last second saved Melissa from another piece of debris that would have taken her head off. The two rolled down the stairs and landed in a heap, with Melissa on top of him.

"Okay, ow," Lemillion said as he sat up; he looked Melissa in the eye and smiled. "Are you okay?"

Melissa nodded, and then hugged him tightly. "Thank you," she murmured. "You and Izuku saved my father."

Lemillion stood and helped her to her feet. "Hey, that's what Heroes do."

Melissa wiped away tears. "It doesn't mean I can't thank you."

Ultimate Humungousaur reverted to his unevolved state, and then turned back to human, just in time for Uraraka to grab him in a rib-cracking hug. She barely had time to kiss him before the rest of the Rising Stars crashed into them, and they fell into a messy pile of bruised limbs and laughter.

"We did it!" Sero wiped away tears of relief. "I can't believe we did all that! We saved… guys, we saved everyone!"

"That was awesome," Ashido said, and sprawled out over almost everyone. "Crazy and exhausting, but awesome!"

Asui brought a finger to her cheek. "Do you think we'll get extra credit for this?"

As the students laughed again, All Might knelt by his friend. "Dave… Melissa told me a little about what you did."

David looked down at his hands. "I know, Toshi; I just couldn't see a world without your light in it. But after tonight…"

He looked over at the students; at the Rising Stars as they chatted and embraced, at Nejire-chan and Suneater, who had practically passed out next to each other, and at Melissa and Lemillion, who didn't seem to realize that they were still hugging.

"After tonight," All Might finished, and looked out at the first rays of sunrise, "I think the world is going to have light to spare."

**So, my grandfather came home from the hospital a few days ago… and then went right back in. Are you kidding me!?**

**Anyway, onto the chapter.**

**Okay, the climax of this arc is over, but there's more to come! We still need to wrap things up, including the consequences for David's actions. Also, our heroes need some time to actually enjoy their vacation.**

**And you can all stop asking me when Deku will go Ultimate! Hooray! However, he will only have ten Ultimates; they're already insanely powerful, I'm not going to give them all an Ultimate form. God, can you imagine Ultimate Atomix? No, thank you. And no, I'm not telling you which Ultimates will be here. They will be revealed in time.**

**As always, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. It is available on my website (link in my profile), and on Amazon as both an eBook and physical copy. Sales are good for me, and you get something to read!**

**If you want to support me in other ways, you can donate on P-atreon (link in my profile). It helps me get by as I look for steady employment.**

**Thanks to the following Patrons:**

**Serious Muffins:** **SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, John Collins, Red Bard, Aaron Meek, Shaolin Khalil, killroy225**

**Incredible Muffins: RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844**

**Ultra Muffins: Adam Costello, Matthew Bunting, RangersRoll**

**Next Chapter: The battle is over, but there's cleanup to go, and a vacation to enjoy!**

**Stay safe out there!**

**Plus Muffin!**


	27. Stars, Part 3

**MY HERO ACADEMIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. BEN 10 DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MY SPACESHIP DOES BELONG TO ME, AND I'M USING IT TO LEAVE. NO, YOU CAN'T USE IT, IT'S MINE.**

**After all the action from last chapter, I'd say our heroes need some time to wind down, wouldn't you agree?**

My Alien Academia

Chapter 27

Stars, Part 3

When All Might led the students and David downstairs, they were swarmed by police, paramedics, and other Heroes. At first, Midoriya and his friends tried to stay together, but they were eventually pulled apart to be treated for injuries and interviewed by the police. All Might delivered the unconscious Wolfram to the police, and then had a quiet word with the officers; shortly afterward, they escorted David to the hospital.

Thankfully, no one else needed to visit the hospital, and were cleared by the paramedics. Asui was told to do as little as possible to let her legs heal, and Ashido was given similar instructions regarding her arms. Iida needed to rest his legs because he'd overused his engines a little, and Todoroki had accidentally overheated himself, so he had to cover himself in a thin layer of ice for a little while. Sero was dehydrated, and Yaoyorozu had almost completely drained her lipids. Midoriya had healed himself as Swampfire; only Uraraka had escaped the fighting with little more than some bruises.

The Big Three were in similar states—Hado had a minor concussion, Amajiki's arms were bandaged, and Togata was using some of Todoroki's ice on his bruises.

Once everyone had been treated—and Midoriya had assured his parents that he was fine through hugs and crying—they were able to reunite by the buffet table, which had somehow survived the chaos. The Heroes and the police had cleared away the crowds, leaving Midoriya to explain what he'd learned to his friends.

"I can't believe Professor Shield would do that," Yaoyorozu said around a mouthful of food, too tired and hungry to care about manners for the moment. "I looked him up after you talked about him, and he seemed too upstanding a person to commit a crime."

"He had good intentions," Midoriya argued. "He was just blinded to everything else… including his own daughter."

Iida shook his head. "Regardless of his intentions, his actions allowed for Villains to infiltrate I-Island, and could have caused serious harm to many people. I doubt he will not face consequences for this."

"What will happen to Melissa, ribbit?" Asui tilted her head. "If her father goes to jail, she'll be all alone."

Togata coughed to get their attention. "I overheard All Might mention her to her father, actually; whatever he said made the professor more relaxed."

"Cool, so All Might is handling it." Ashido grabbed a plate full of brownies from the table, handed most of them to Yaoyorozu, and then paused and turned to Amajiki. "If you eat one of these, will youturn _into_ a brownie?"

"I hope not," Hado said brightly, "he's already sweet."

Amajiki started to turn to the nearest wall to hide his face, but Hado grabbed him in a hug and kept him in place.

"I'm just glad it's over," Uraraka said, and rested her head on Midoriya's shoulder. "It _is _over, right? Everyone is done with us?"

"I think so," Sero said, and then finished his third bottle of water. "They might just be double-checking our statements before letting us go back to our rooms."

Ashido sighed. "Yeah, I don't know about you guys, but I need a hot shower, clean clothes, and ten hours of sleep."

There was no disagreement from anyone. Of the Big Three, only Togata's costume was undamaged, but it was still filthy from dirt and sweat. The Rising Stars' clothes were dirty, torn, and sweat-stained. Ashido, Todoroki and Iida had the worst; Ashido's dress had dozens of tiny holes from stray droplets of acid, Todoroki had burned off most of his shirt, and Iida's pants had become shorts after using his Quirk.

Eventually, the students were escorted to their rooms by a group of Heroes, but as they walked, Sero realized something.

"Hey, we never did find out why Nejire and Tamaki were up on the eightieth floor."

…

The Big Three remained behind a little longer to speak with All Might, but as they waited, Togata elbowed Amajiki.

"I saw how Nejire was acting with you, dude; did you finally tell her?"

Amajiki had wanted to use the time before the preview to finally confess his feelings to Hado, feelings that had been building for over two years. He had ended up babbling about everything _except _his feelings to her, and they had wandered around the tower—eventually reaching the eightieth floor, and the insanity had begun.

"Not really." Amajiki tried to look away, but ended up making eye-contact with Hado, who beamed at him. "But, uh, I think she knows."

…

It was already six in the morning by the time everyone went to sleep, and Izuku eventually woke up at almost four in the afternoon. His parents were still asleep, so he went to their room's modest kitchen to make himself something to eat; while he waited for his food to heat up, he checked his messenger app.

All Might: Hey, everyone feeling better?

Book: I am. The other girls all slept in my room.

Crayon: we wer 2 tird 2 make it 2 r rooms, and ur room is hueg

All Might: Are you both messaging from the same room?

Comet: No, we all went back to our rooms an hour ago. How are you, Deku-kun?

All Might: Better. Still trying to wrap my head around what the professor did.

Glasses: Someone you respect did something reprehensible. I am sure it will take some time to process it. Also, hello, everyone. I am feeling better as well.

Snowflake: My father somehow found out about what happened. He's been calling me over and over for three hours.

Crayon: r u in truble? Do i need to melt his shoes or sumthin?

Snowflake: That would be funny if you did. No, he's been praising me. It's been weird, please help.

Tape: Tell him he's interrupting your recovery. If all else fails, turn off your phone.

Frog: EVERYONE PLEASE SHUT UP. I'M TIRED AND MY LEGS HURT, AND I WANT TO SLEEP.

Izuku nearly dropped his phone when Asui's all-caps message came in. He considered sending an apology, but figured that would just annoy her further. From the way no one else responded, he wasn't the only one to reach that conclusion.

"Why didn't she just turn off her phone?" Ben asked.

"Maybe she didn't want to seem rude?"

"I think she did that when she text-yelled at you all-all-all." Ben flickered wildly in place for a moment, then stabilized.

Izuku frowned. "Are you okay?"

Ben shrugged. "My software is having a little trouble equalizing with the Hyper-Evolutionary feature. There's some programming clash, but it's fi-fi-fine." He flickered again. "It _will_ be fine."

"If you say so." Izuku started to eat his food. "Hey, how did you turn the dial and make me go Plus Ultimate?"

"Is that the term you're sticking with? Okay." Ben floated over and 'sat' in a chair. "Well, since I activated the function, I was able to rem-rem-remotely use it. Remember, I'm a tutorial program, so I had to be able to show you how to activate it."

"That makes sense, but why were you _there _to turn and hit the dial? You didn't need your hologram out for that."

"Oh, that?" Ben grinned. "I thought it would be cool."

Izuku rolled his eyes. "Really?"

"Hey, you're gonna do a billion heroic things in your life, let me have this!" Ben was obviously joking, but it made Izuku think.

"You know you're just as responsible for me becoming a Hero as I am, right?"

Ben blinked. "How do you figure?"

"Well, if you hadn't chosen me to use the Ultimatrix, I wouldn't have done all these things."

Ben shrugged. "I guess, but all I did was give you the tools you needed to be a Hero. I'm sure you would have done other things to help people if I hadn't shown up."

Izuku mumbled something self-deprecating into his food, but didn't argue further.

"Hey, your parents are waking up," Ben said. "Why don't you make 'em breakfast or something?"

"Y-yeah, and then maybe we can actually enjoy our stay here!"

…

Izuku spent most of the rest of the day with his parents, but he did meet up with his friends that evening at a restaurant. The first thing Asui did when she saw them was bow her head.

"I'm really sorry about earlier, ribbit," she said.

Ashido waved her off. "Eh, now we know that you're not a morning-frog. It's cool."

Yaoyorozu noticed something odd. "Are people looking at us?"

Hisashi glanced up from his menu. "Yeah, I've been seeing that all day. The news mentioned you kids after all that happened at the preview—nothing much, just that you were 'a big help with averting the crisis'."

"So this is what it's like to be a celebrity." Sero's only sign of nervousness was how tightly he gripped his cup of water. "At least it's good practice for when we're Pro Heroes."

"Indeed." Out of all of them, Iida seemed genuinely composed. "My brother has mentioned that it makes going out difficult."

"Your brother wears a helmet that hides his face," Ashido pointed out. "How do people even know who he is when he's not in costume?"

Iida sighed. "He made the mistake of taking off his helmet during a few interviews last year, and now his fans know what he looks like." He shuddered. "Just before I started at UA, I was shopping with him, and some woman asked to have his babies."

"Sounds like a typical fangirl," Todoroki commented.

"She was old enough to be my grandmother!"

Sero nearly choked on his water. "Oh my god, that's hilarious! Please tell me we can meet him someday, I want to ask him about that!"

Izuku joined in on the laughter, but when they calmed down, he noticed Uraraka peering at the Ultimatrix. "Is something wrong, Ochako?"

"I've been meaning to ask, Deku-kun." She pointed to the watch. "What was that thing you did during the fight?"

"You mean Ultimate Humungousaur?" His friends and parents all nodded. "Well, my normal transformations are just that—normal. But I can push a few of my forms past their limit for a little while; it's like a second transformation, with new powers."

Since they were in public, everyone knew that that wasn't the whole truth, but it was enough for them to understand. Izuku had mentioned an Ultimate function before, but had never gone into detail, because he didn't know much. They knew he'd explain in more detail when there weren't any eavesdroppers.

"How many of them have this boost, ribbit?"

"Only ten, according to Ben." They all knew he meant the hologram, not the real Ben. "But I had to get stronger with my Quirk before I could even try."

Translation: Izuku had met another standard of Ben's programming, unlocking a new part of the Ultimatrix.

"I can't wait to see Bakugo's face when you pull that move," Ashido said, a little too gleefully.

Sero unconsciously scratched the scar on his jaw. "Oh, please let me be there when that happens."

"Okay, kids, enough of that," Inko said, though she couldn't keep the smile off her face. "Let's just enjoy dinner for now."

The teenagers all obeyed, but none of them could stop the image of Bakugo throwing a fit from popping into their minds.

…

"Hey, Dave."

David cracked open his eyes and saw All Might in his skinny form and wearing normal clothes, sitting across from him. He tried to sit up, but the handcuffs only let him move so far on the hospital bed.

"Hey, Toshi."

"How's the shoulder?"

David chuckled. "Better, now that there isn't a bullet lodged in there."

"I'll bet." All Might leaned back in his chair. "Sorry, Dave, but I have to ask you something."

"I already told the police about everything I did."

"Just one question, and it might be important." All Might looked directly at him, and even with his eyes sunken, David could see the fire that drove the man.

"Fine. Go ahead."

"Did Wolfram ever mention someone named All For One? Or where he was before you hired him?"

David raised an eyebrow. "He didn't talk about much, and he definitely didn't say anything about an 'All For One'. He did mention that he was in Japan recently, though."

All Might nodded and tapped his chin. "So he's probably still there. Maybe he never even left; I should have investigated sooner, I could have picked up his trail."

"Toshi, what's this about?"

All Might stood abruptly, but the sudden movement made him cough up blood. "Sorry, Dave; I shouldn't have said even that much."

David winced; once upon a time, the man told him almost everything. Now, All Might was all-business, and David had only himself to blame.

"Just tell me two things," he pleaded; he waited until All Might nodded, and then spoke. "First, is this guy really that dangerous?"

"More dangerous than anyone I've ever fought."

At that, David's eyes narrowed. "Then that leads me to the other thing—promise me that you won't let this bastard near my daughter."

For a moment, All Might switched to his muscle form, and David let himself think that his friend was back to his former glory, if only for an instant. "That, Dave, is something I swear to do."

…

Later that night, Midoriya and Uraraka managed to find some time to themselves, wandering through the shopping centers of I-Island. Midoriya took her hand in his, shyly at first, but with growing confidence; Uraraka leaned in closer to put her head on his shoulder.

"Now _this _is how I thought this trip would go," she said. "You and me, walking on a beautiful island."

"Y-yeah." Midoriya took a moment to enjoy holding her entire hand; she was wearing gloves that left the ring and pinkie fingers exposed, so he could hold her hand without fear of accidentally floating away.

"I kinda wished we could have had that dance, though," Uraraka said wistfully, and then she paused. "Wait. I don't know how to dance."

Midoriya tried not to laugh. "W-well, neither do I."

They looked at each other and broke out in a fit of giggles. When Midoriya finally got control of himself, he spotted a familiar figure sitting on a bench, wearing the same kind of outfit she'd had when they first met.

"Hey, there's Melissa! What's she doing here?"

Uraraka followed his gaze; sure enough, Melissa was there, and it was heartbreaking. The poor girl looked like she was about to cry, and the people walking by acted like she didn't exist. The news had broken that her father had been at least partially responsible for the Villain attack, and even though Melissa had helped to fix things, the public saw her as guilty by association.

Midoriya looked from their friend to his girlfriend. "Ochako, I know we were—"

Uraraka immediately shook her head. "This is important; let's go see if we can cheer her up."

Melissa looked up from staring at her knees when she felt Uraraka's hand on her shoulder. "Oh! Ochako, Izuku! What are you doing here?"

"We were on a date," Uraraka said as she sat next to the older girl.

"Well, don't stop on my account." Melissa tried to sound cheerful, but anyone could see how upset she was.

Midoriya wanted to ask what was wrong, but he knew; she was still processing everything that had happened since the night before.

"How's, um… how's your dad?" he asked.

Melissa flinched. "He was arrested. He confessed to everything a few hours ago, so he's definitely going to prison."

Uraraka bit her lip. "For how long?"

"At least ten years," Melissa said, forcing back a sob. "Maybe he can get paroled in five if he behaves. And even if he does get out early, his career is over."

"I'm sorry," Midoriya said, even if he wasn't sure what he was sorry for.

Melissa took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "It just… it hurts. It hurts, and I don't know what to do."

"Well, let's find somewhere a little quieter, and then we can figure it out," Uraraka said, and looped her arm through Melissa's; after a meaningful look at her boyfriend, Midoriya did the same with Melissa's other arm.

Melissa sniffed. "Thanks."

…

Melissa ended up staying with them the rest of the evening, and joined the Rising Stars a little later; Yaoyorozu saw that she really needed friends, so she decided that all the girls would stay in her room that night.

"You don't have to process things alone," she said to Melissa. "Even if you don't want to talk about it, we'll be there if you need us."

Melissa managed to hold the tears back until she and the other girls were in Yaoyorozu's room, and then a flood that would have impressed a Midoriya was let loose. Asui, who had no problem getting completely soaked, volunteered to hug her for as long as necessary. After almost an hour of crying and babbling, Melissa finally started to calm down—and then someone knocked on the door, making them all jump.

"That better not be one of the boys," Ashido half-joked, and then called out, "We're not decent!"

"Mina!" Ochako tried to hit her, even though the girls were all wearing either long nightgowns or other modest sleepwear.

"It's me!" Hado's muffled voice came through the door. "Can I come in?"

Yaoyorozu opened the door, allowing Hado to come through with several bags. "What are you doing here, Nejire?"

"Mirio and Tamaki and I thought Melissa might need some company, but we couldn't find you." Hado smiled as she sat next to Melissa. "Then Izu-kun told us you were here, so we decided to bring you some of your stuff."

Melissa opened a bag and found toiletries; the others contained clothes and even some books. "Wait, this is all from my room. How did you get all this?"

"Oh, that?" Hado grinned unrepentantly. "Mirio phased his arm through the door and unlocked it, and then I grabbed a bunch of your stuff! Don't worry, I was the only one who went inside."

The other girls weren't sure what to do with Hado's confession to breaking and entering. For the sake of their sanity, they decided to let it go, since it was for a good cause. Besides, Hado soon had all of them in a better mood with her energy and upbeat personality, and when even Melissa laughed a few times, they considered it a win.

…

"I can't say this trip went like I thought it would," Hisashi said, scratching the back of his head. "But I'm glad I got to see you two."

Izuku hugged his father tightly. "Me too, Dad." He looked up. "Do you… do you think we could do this again soon?"

Hisashi glanced at Inko, and both smiled sadly. "Sorry, kiddo, I don't know. I'd love nothing more than to see you both all the time, you know that, but…"

Izuku nodded; he had spent most of his life understanding why his father couldn't stay home. It didn't stop him from wishing otherwise.

"But I'll try to call more often," Hisashi said. "At least four days a week, definitely the weekends."

"I'd like that." It was more than Izuku had before; he would take what he could get.

Hisashi ruffled his son's hair. "Don't be so sure; I'm still gonna tease you about your girlfriend. Say, did she and your other friends already leave?"

Izuku nodded. "Yeah, their plane took off an hour ago." He grinned. "You were too busy making out with Mom to notice."

Finally, it was his parents' turn to go red-faced, and Izuku allowed himself to feel a sense of triumph.

Hisashi gave his family another hug. "Seriously, though, I'm going to miss you both. I love you so much."

"We love you too," Inko said, holding onto him tightly. "We'll talk again as soon as we can."

Hisashi let Inko go, but stayed a little longer with his son. "Izuku, I can't tell you how proud of you I am. You're going to be an amazing Pro, but as far as I'm concerned, you're already a Hero."

Izuku tried and failed to blink away his tears. "Th-thanks, Dad."

"You earned it." Hisashi paused. "Hey, Ben?"

Ben couldn't risk someone seeing him, so he just answered from within the Ultimatrix. "Yes, sir?"

"Don't call me sir, it makes me feel old." Hisashi laughed for a moment. "Anyway, I wanted to thank you for helping Izuku realize his dream."

"I've said it before—all I did was give Izuku the tools he needed to succeed." Izuku could easily imagine Ben smiling proudly. "Everything else was all him."

"Then I still have to thank you." Hisashi reached out and tapped the watch. "Keep an eye on Izuku, though; he seems to get in trouble a lot."

"Hey!" Izuku protested, but Hisashi and Ben both laughed.

Hisashi ruffled his son's hair one more time. "All right, you all had better get going. Your plane leaves soon."

"Right." Izuku hugged him and then stepped back so that Inko could take his place. He blushed when his father pulled his mother in for a deep kiss.

"Since I know it'll be a while before we can do that again," Hisashi whispered. "I love you."

Inko blinked away tears. "I know."

She reluctantly pulled away; she and Izuku grabbed their bags and headed for their plane. Hisashi waved until they disappeared into the crowd, and then looked at his phone.

"Ah, well, I've got a few hours before my flight," he muttered to himself. "Might as well get some coffee."

He had just started going to a coffee shop nearby when his phone rang. Hisashi hesitated; there were less than ten people who had his cell number, and two of them had just boarded a plane. He looked at the caller ID, and he felt a chill go down his spine. Hisashi found a quiet corner in the shop and brought the phone to his ear.

"Yes, sir?"

"_Oh, don't sound so formal, Hisashi!" _The voice of the man on the other end of the line was very aware that he could make or break Hisashi's career, and took a perverse delight in teasing him. _"I heard about what happened on I-Island. Terrible, really, and on your vacation! Is your family all right?"_

"Y-yes, they are." Hisashi took a deep breath. "My son actually helped resolve things."

"_Really? Your son won the UA Sports Festival, didn't he? I'm sure he has a bright future ahead of him. I don't suppose he'd accept us as a sponsor when he becomes a Pro Hero, would he?"_

"Er, I'm sure he'd be grateful to have a sponsor like you, sir."

"_Well, I'll keep an eye on his progress when he graduates, and we'll see where things go." _The man seemed genuinely satisfied, though Hisashi had no idea why. _"Enjoy the rest of your vacation, Hisashi—oh, and before I forget, you'll be getting a bonus to your salary, as compensation for your troubles."_

"Oh! Thank you, sir!"

"_It's absolutely no problem," _his boss dismissed, and Hisashi could almost see him waving his hand. _"Besides, after all your hard work for us, you deserve it—this is just an excuse to give you the reward you so rightfully deserve."_

Hisashi knew he wouldn't have earned a bonus if he hadn't deserved it. "Thank you again, sir; I promise that I'll work even harder!"

"_Glad to hear it. I look forward to hearing that you've arrived safely in London."_

With that, the line went dead. Hisashi sank into his chair, one hand over his rapidly-beating heart. Despite the good news, he found himself wanting something stronger than coffee.

"Why does that man always scare me so much?"

…

"Excuse me, sir?"

"What is it?"

"Is the Midoriya boy really so important? Powerful or not, he's just a child."

"All Might was just a child, once, and look at him now. That is why I am investing so much into Hisashi now, though I admit that he does good work for us—either he becomes a way to convince his son to join us, or he becomes a hostage to control him."

"Of course, sir. Is there anything else you require?"

"No, Curious, you may go." Yotsubashi Rikiya, known to his followers as Re-Destro, waited for his lieutenant to close the door behind him.

_I am a businessman, _he thought. _Regardless of how it is achieved, the Midoriya boy is an investment worth pursuing for the Revolution._

…

When Midoriya came back to school on Monday, he and the other Rising Stars were quickly surrounded by most of their class.

"Dude, I can't believe you guys fought Villains on I-Island!" Kaminari grabbed Sero by the front of his shirt and shook him. "How are you all so lucky!?"

Jiro smacked Kaminari upside the head. "Lucky? They could have been killed!" She turned to Yaoyorozu. "Are you all okay, Yaomomo?"

"Other than some bumps and bruises, we're all fine," Yaoyorozu assured the rest of the class. "Now, please return to your seats before Aizawa-sensei gets here. I'm sure none of us want detention the week before the summer camp."

That got the rest of the class moving, but Midoriya suddenly found Bakugo walking next to him.

"You kicked the Villain's ass, right, nerd?" His voice was low, so no one else could hear him.

"W-well, we beat him," Midoriya said.

Bakugo narrowed his eyes and nodded. "Good. It won't feel as good to beat you if some shitty Villain gets there before me."

Bakugo nodded again, as if that settled the matter. Midoriya sat down next to Uraraka, who looked at him with concern, but he shrugged; this was probably the closest Bakugo would ever get to respecting him.

Class 1-A had just settled down when Aizawa entered the room; he looked even more tired than usual, if that was possible. His gaze seemed to linger on the Rising Stars, and there was a calculating gleam in his eyes.

"All right, get ready for class," he said. "And the first person to talk about I-Island gets detention for the rest of the year. The media has been hounding the school for answers for hours; I couldn't take it anymore, so I threw All Might at them."

More than one student suddenly had the mental image of Aizawa literally throwing a man several times his own weight at a crowd of reporters. It sparked a few giggles, which died down when Aizawa's eyes glowed.

"Moving on, don't even think about slacking off just because this is the week before summer camp. If I think you're dropping the ball, I'll make sure you miss that bus."

Despite the threat, Aizawa didn't make them do any extra work, and only insisted that they complete any unfinished assignments before crawling into his sleeping bag. Once the students were sure he wasn't going to tear into them, they got out of their seats and chatted quietly amongst themselves.

"Okay, so, I'm bringing stuff for s'mores," Ashido said. "Hanta, you said you have some scary ghost stories?"

"Yeah, some old books I found in my house." Sero's grin remained, but he still shivered. "I only read a few of them, and they were terrifying."

Uraraka bounced in her seat. "Oh, this is gonna be so much fun!"

Iida chopped at the air. "We must first work diligently before we do any goofing off! This camp is not just for fun, you know."

"He's right," Todoroki said. "This is a chance for us to really work on getting stronger, and we shouldn't waste it."

Ashido pouted and put her head on his shoulder—which resulted in one of her horns poking his cheek. "Aw, don't be like that, Shoto! Just because we're all working hard doesn't mean we can't have fun! After everything that's happened so far, I think we deserve some relaxing summer nights."

"Y-you're both right," Midoriya said, not completely sure if Ashido and Todoroki were about to argue. "We have to work hard, but we shouldn't burn ourselves out."

Uraraka nodded. "Yeah, just think of every night as a reward for every day of hard work."

"Just be sure that you _do _earn that reward," Yaoyorozu said sternly, but then saw their homeroom teacher walking over to them, phone in hand. "Aizawa-sensei, is something wrong?"

Aizawa shrugged. "Not really. Midoriya, Uraraka—the principal wants to see you both after class. It's about Eri." When he saw the teenagers' eyes go wide, he sighed. "It's not bad, Nezu just figured out her Quirk over the weekend, and wanted to fill you in. If you really want to help her, you should know this."

Midoriya and Uraraka shared a look, and then nodded. "Thank you, Aizawa-sensei," Uraraka said.

Aizawa shrugged again. "I still have to be on hand in case her Quirk goes out of control. Thank me when that stops happening."

…

Midoriya and Uraraka practically sprinted out of class when the day ended, the rest of their friends seconds behind them. Eri might have been attached to her rescuers above everyone else, but the rest of the Rising Stars had quickly become just as protective.

Within seconds of arriving at Nezu's office, Eri was hugging Midoriya's legs, while Uraraka knelt next to her and gently patted her head.

"I missed you," Eri said softly.

"And we missed you too, Eri-chan." Midoriya leaned down to hug her back. "Did you have fun while we were gone?"

Eri shrugged; she still wasn't sure what 'fun' was, but at least she wasn't unhappy.

"We did learn something interesting," Nezu said from his desk, and then winked at the students. "Excellent work on I-Island, by the way."

"Thank you, Nezu-sensei," Yaoyorozu said with a short bow. "But what about Eri-chan? Aizawa-sensei said you found out what her Quirk is."

"Ah, yes; quite the discovery, actually." Nezu typed at his computer for a moment, and then turned the monitor around to face them. "Watch this."

A recording began to play; Nezu was speaking to Eri, and Aizawa was in the corner, ready to erase Eri's Quirk if necessary. Nezu slid over a plate that held a piece of uncooked chicken to the confused girl.

"_Please use your Quirk on the chicken, Eri-chan," _Nezu said in the recording. _"You don't have to worry about hurting it, since it's dead."_

Eri tentatively reached out and pressed a single finger against the dead flesh; a moment later, her horn grew and glowed. Aizawa erased her Quirk less than three seconds later, and when the light faded, there was a whole chicken standing on the table, alive and likely very confused.

"Eri-chan has a very special Quirk," Nezu said as the recording ended. "At first, we thought she disintegrated organic material, but that was incorrect. What she actually does is _rewind time_ around organic material, bringing it back to a previous state of existence. Unfortunately, her Quirk is so powerful that it can rewind them to before they existed, effectively destroying them. However, if used in extremely small doses, her Quirk is capable of amazing things—such as undoing injuries, or even bringing the dead back to life."

Most of the students processed this with no small amount of awe. Midoriya kept looking between Eri—who was now held in Uraraka's arms—and the notebook he was putting all this down in. Quirks like Eri's were extraordinarily rare; they were rarer still for being so powerful in someone so young.

"That's incredible, Eri-chan," Midoriya said quietly.

The little girl shook her head and clutched Uraraka tightly. "But I hurt people…"

"Remember what I said, Eri-chan." Nezu smiled kindly. "A Quirk is only dangerous if you don't know how to use it, and this is the perfect place for you to learn. Once you do, you could help so many people."

"He's right!" Midoriya gently stroked her hair. "If someone is hurt or sick, you could make them better!"

Nezu had already told Eri as much over the weekend, but hearing the words from Midoriya's mouth was much more reassuring.

"We plan to give Eri weekly lessons to control her Quirk," Nezu said. "Once she's more settled, we may increase it to twice a week. If it's not too much trouble, I'd like Midoriya-san and Uraraka-san to be there for these lessons; I'm sure it will make Eri-chan more comfortable."

Midoriya and Uraraka looked at each other, and then at Eri, who had fallen asleep in the latter's arms, and holding two of the former's fingers in one tiny hand. There really was only one answer they could give.

"Of course, Nezu-sensei!"

…

Shortly before school the next day, the Rising Stars got a text from Togata, asking them to meet up with him at the Support Department before lunch was over. They were curious, but the text didn't hint at anything urgent, so they were content to wait.

After eating lunch, they headed out, only to be intercepted halfway there by a pink-topped blur. Of course, they smelled Hatsume before they saw her; by this time in the day, she practically reeked of sweat, oil, smoke, and several other chemicals that were probably unhealthy to be around for long periods of time.

"Hey, guys!" Hatsume waved at them with a hand holding a screwdriver, which went back to adjusting the innards of what looked like a cross between an old alarm clock and a hand grenade.

"Hi, Mei," Midoriya said; they weren't especially close friends with Hatsume, but she had insisted on them using her first name. It wasn't because of any sentimental reason, she just thought that conversations would go by faster if people addressed her by her first name, which meant she could go back to work sooner.

"Are you all headed to the Support Department?" Hatsume's eyes went wide, and she grinned wildly. "Are you all getting upgrades, or new Support Items? Can I help!?"

"Uh, sorry, I don't think so," Uraraka said; she was always a little put off by Hatsume's energy, which eclipsed Ashido's and Hado's combined. "We were just asked to stop by."

"Okay, fine. Oh, Ochako, I've been tweaking that request you made a while back, and I think I can reduce drag by another four percent, which should increase your speed." Nobody took offense that Hatsume basically ignored the rest of them; she couldn't even remember someone's name unless she was working on something for them, and that only lasted a few days after it was finished. The only exception was Midoriya, but only because Hatsume kept asking him questions about the Ultimatrix.

"Thanks, Mei." Uraraka glanced at the others, who shrugged; they could tell that Hatsume wasn't even thinking about them, so it was all on her. "Um, why are you headed to the Support Department? Lunch isn't over yet."

Hatsume rolled her eyes, and then turned her attention to her gadget; she would have walked into a wall, had Iida not gently steered her in the right direction. "Power Loader-sensei wants me to work with a third-year student, something about 'being guided by someone with more experience'."

"Maybe he's hoping you won't blow up the classroom so much," Sero muttered; Hatsume's accidental demolition of school property was already infamous.

Midoriya almost commented, but when they rounded the next corner, he froze. "No way…"

Togata noticed them, and gently elbowed Melissa, wearing a UA uniform, to get her attention; she turned from her conversation with Power Loader and smiled.

"Hey, guys! Surprised to see me?"

There was a moment of stunned silence, and then Ashido sprinted over and hugged her. "Hey, girl, what are you doing here!?"

Power Loader chuckled. "Shield-san transferred here today; as of now, she's a UA third-year student."

For the first time that day, Hatsume's attention was away from her 'babies'. Instead, she stared at Melissa with such intensity that her Quirk activated for a moment.

"Wait, 'Shield'? As in Professor David Shield!?" Hatsume ran over and shoved Ashido out of the way. "Please tell me you're related to David Shield!"

Melissa sighed, but unlike at I-Island, mention of her father didn't bring her to tears. "Yes, he's my dad."

Hatsume grabbed her by the shoulders. "Teach me everything you know!"

Power Loader gently pried Hatsume off Melissa. "How about you let her get situated before you pick her brain, okay?" It was hard to tell with his helmet on, but he might have given Melissa an apologetic glance. "If you don't mind, Shield-san, Hatsume can show you around the workshops; she knows them as well as I do."

"Um, sure?" Melissa looked uneasy, especially when Togata had to hold a flailing Hatsume back.

"Not that we aren't happy to see you, Melissa," Iida said, "but why are you here? I thought you had to remain on I-Island."

Melissa smiled bitterly. "That rule only applies to _active _employees and their families. Since Papa was arrested, I didn't have to stay. But Uncle Might is also my godfather and legal guardian, so I was allowed to live with him. There's still some paperwork to get through, but I just have to remain on campus for a few days, and then I'll be a Japanese citizen!"

"That's wonderful!" Yaoyorozu beamed.

"Just be careful about the press," Todoroki warned. "You're the daughter of someone famous, and if they find out you're living with All Might, they'll never leave you alone."

Melissa's smile turned crafty. "Oh, I've already got an idea for how to get past them."

"Oh, oh! Is it camo-tech!?" Hatsume nearly dislocated her arm getting free from Togata, but she managed. "Light-bending properties? Pheromone-repellant to make people avoid you?"

That last one caught Melissa's attention. "Actually, I hadn't thought of something pheromone-related. A time-released system could work better than just an applied chemical mixture, like perfume."

"Oh, god, there's two of them now," Power Loader groaned. "If she causes explosions, I'm going to kill All Might."

"Well, at least she made a new friend," Midoriya pointed out, as the two inventors' conversation devolved into technical terms that not even Yaoyorozu understood.

"I just hope they don't blow up the school, ribbit." Asui shrugged. "As long as we're not in it, anyway."

…

"Thanks again for this," Aizawa said over the phone. "I'm sure the students will learn a great deal. Right, see you in a few days."

"So, no problems on their end?" Vlad King asked.

"None, but I'm still not taking any chances with the students' safety." Aizawa sipped his coffee—it was his third cup that day, not that it woke him up much. "We're taking each class on a separate route, and at different times. Only you, me, and Nezu will know who will be going where, and when."

"You're that concerned about an information leak?" Vlad King crossed his arms; his bulging muscles made his skintight red outfit creak.

"We still don't know how the League of Villains knew our schedule for the USJ incident," Aizawa reminded him. "This is why we're not putting anything on computer this time, in case there's a hacker involved. If something does happen, we'll know every name on the list of people who are in the know."

"I can't believe the idea of a traitor is even on the table," Vlad King growled.

"Personally, I don't think there is, either, but I'd rather be sure." Aizawa glanced longingly at his sleeping bag, but Vlad King was one of the few faculty members who wouldn't let him get away with sleeping through anything.

Vlad was actually the only teacher Aizawa thought was stricter than he was; it almost made him pity Class 1-B.

"All right, let's take care of the last of the paperwork," Aizawa said. "After that, we're putting our students through hell."

_(Anima—ReoNa, TV Version)_

_The music begins, revealing the gates of UA. The Rising Stars are just outside, looking up at the gate. Each of them has a serious, determined look on their face, and they take a single step forward._

_The scene changes to show Midoriya in his school uniform, standing up straight and looking nervous. He is then replaced by an image of him in his costume, hand over the Ultimatrix and ready for action. The background shows brief flashes of his first fight with Bakugo, his battle against Nomu, and him punching Wolfram._

_The next scene is that of Uraraka, also in her school uniform with a big smile on her face, and then in her costume, her smile replaced by a determined frown. The background shows her fighting Iida, then the Villain who tried to recapture Eri, and then her holding an I-Island robot over her head._

_Iida is next, standing ramrod-straight in his uniform, and then running in his costume. The background shows him kicking a robot in the entrance exam, then attacking Stain, and then knocking down a door on I-Island._

_Asui replaces him, hunching over in her school uniform, and then leaping through the air in costume, tongue stretching out. The background shows her saving Mineta in the USJ, lifting Eye Guy through the air during the Sports Festival, and helping Sero on I-Island._

_Sero appears, waving in his school uniform, and then shooting a line of tape while in costume. The background shows him holding off Kurogiri in the USJ, helping Inko during his internship, and protecting Yaoyorozu in the server room._

_Ashido is next, grinning and holding up a peace sign in her school uniform, and then in her costume, skating across the floor on a trail of acid. The background shows her melting the USJ door for Iida, capturing Nezu during the exam, and narrowly avoiding a robot's attacks on the roof of the I-Island tower._

_Todoroki replaces her, looking almost bored in his uniform, but that changes when he is in costume, one side covered in frost, the other in fire. The background shows him using his fire against Armodrillo, his ice against Stain, and both against the horde of robots at I-Island, as Ashido skates around him._

_Yaoyorozu is last, hands on her hips in her uniform, and then creating a spear from her arm while in costume. The background shows her blocking Todoroki's ice with salt, fighting Villains at the USJ, and trapping Iida with a thick chain during the Sports Festival._

_Eri, the Big Three, Melissa, the rest of Class 1-A and the UA teachers briefly pass by in a line, ending with All Might, whose smile shines and makes the scene turn white for a second._

_The scene returns to the Rising Stars as they begin to run to class. Behind them stands Ben; a single tear falls down his face as he flickers and vanishes._

**Wow. This is the first chapter in a while where I wasn't surprised by something bad in real life. I mean, my grandfather is still in the hospital, but he's stable.**

**Anyway, some big stuff happened this chapter, both on I-Island, and at UA. David is going to jail (deceived or not, he still did some pretty illegal stuff, at a location that is supposed to be secure; he was gonna get a harsh sentence). Melissa is now a UA student, so we'll be seeing more of her. And Hisashi works for Re-Destro, though he doesn't know it. For those of you who haven't reached that far in the manga, I won't spoil anything, but it'll be a big plot point later. There's actually not much else to say about this chapter, since it was mostly just wrapping up from the last part.**

**As always, please consider buying my book, **_**Alpha Sanction**_**, by Josh Gottlieb. You can find it on my website (link in my profile), or on Amazon as an eBook or physical copy. Please help, as I haven't had a sale in over a month, and money is particularly tight right now.**

**If you don't want to read the book, you could also consider donating on P-atreon (link in my profile). Every dollar helps, especially since I want to live on my own. It would be awesome if I didn't need to do anything but write stories all day, and you can help with that!**

**I'd like to thank the following patrons for their generosity:**

**Serious Muffins: ****SpaceEmperorSpar, Nimrod009, Anders Lyngbye, Matthias Matanovic, ChaosSpartan575, John Collins, Red Bard, Aaron Meek, Shaolin Khalil, killroy225**

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**Next Chapter: Class 1-A has one more day of fun before heading off to camp, where things aren't what they seem. Meanwhile, the League of Villains gets ready to move out, and All For One has a task for his successor…**

**Stay safe out there!**

**Plus Muffin!**


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